The Facts Half-Truths About YTB--Part 3

Today, let's take a look at the third tab on the new YTB site called www.TheFactsAboutYTB.com :

Identity:

This is a nice fluff piece and makes for a good brochure, but is once again laden with half truths and misleading statements.

This first paragraph discusses their ethical standards and the experience of their Board and Corporate Executives. Here is what they do not say:

• They are being sued by California for deceptive business practices
• They are being sued in two separate Class Action Suits for in excess of $100M for deceptive business practices.
• That YTB and Coach Tomer is personally being sued for deception when he convinced a gardener working at his mansion to give up and sell his business to join YTB as an employee and was subsequently fired.
• That YTB has been the target of investigations in the past.
• That YTB is currently the subject of statewide investigations in at least three other states other than California.
• That YTB knew about the California problem for 18 months and never disclosed it to the SEC or their field.
• That YTB insiders sold a lot of stock during the California investigation while it was still marketable.
• That YTB was delisted from the OTC markets for irregular accounting practices.
• That YTB filtered $6M or $8M for their Statue of Liberty stage prop to a privately held company owned by Tomer and Sorensen.
• That YTB has made numerous poor business decisions costing the company and mor importantly their shareholders millions--purchasing a jet from a Board member and selling it for a loss. Purchasing real estate from a Board member and selling it for a loss.
  
• The list goes on....

YTB talks about being international. They do not mention that because they did not want to adhere to the TICO regulations for operating in Toronto, that they were almost run out of Canada and only saved themselves by being reactionary and buying a flailing retail location--Sunrise Travel.

YTB discusses the DSA and how YTB is the only travel company that is a member. Well, the DSA has nothing to do with travel. It is a lobbying organization for the MLM businesses. YTB did not mention if they were members of any travel related organizations like IATA, ASTA, ARTA, OSSN, or NACTA. Don't look. They are not. The only industry affiliation they have is with CLIA.

The Affiliate Health Plan is a money maker for YTB. They do not disclose this but according to Thayer Lindauer (their former attorney), YTB is acting as an ILLEGAL insurance agent and subsequently earns commissions on any policy that is purchased by an RTA. It needs to be noted (as it is not stated on the site) that this is a bare bones policy and offers very little coverage and classifies YTB as an illegal insurer in many jurisdictions since they have not received the appropriate licenses.