Mark Yarnell's Track Record

We're skeptical about MLM in general, and make no secret about it. But here's what someone who works full time in MLM had to say about our ATG web site and Mark Yarnell expose in May of 1998. The correspondent, who wishes to remain anonymous, describes himself this way:
I've been full-time in the network marketing industry for 15 years, and one thing I've learned from personal experience is that telling the hard truth -- even for the very best of reasons -- about someone who's revered by others always tends to bring negative repercussions. I've had threats of lawsuits several times from the attorneys for a couple of unethical "leaders" in the industry because of what I wrote about them, and I have to believe that Yarnell would try to do the same. I definitely don't need that kind of legal hassle again, so please feel free to use that email but without my name attached... maybe you could sign it from "John Q. Networker."

And here is the actual email we received:

Date: Mon, 25 May 1998 18:21:59 EDT
To: dst@skinner.boltz.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: Thank you
I'm thrilled to see that someone is taking the time, energy, and potential risk to document this IE crystals scam. I'm also thrilled to see that someone has the guts to stand up and question Yarnell's "reputation." A lot of people believe that Mark Yarnell has a good reputation in network marketing, but they don't know the whole truth or the background of his association with NuSkin.

Mark Yarnell was a NuSkin distributor when the company settled a class action lawsuit from its own distributors in 1992 (I believe it was 1992). The company was forced to initiate a reasonable product buyback policy and mass mail copies of their new policy to approximately 800,000 former distributors, thereby refunding millions of dollars to people who had stored NuSkin products in garages and closets all over this country because they couldn't get fair refunds. Did Yarnell ever speak out against the fact that NuSkin didn't have an equitable buyback policy even while people in his own downline were going bankrupt without one? No. He continued to promote the company and get more people involved even while other people were going broke in NuSkin.

Mark Yarnell was a NuSkin distributor when the company was fined for false claims by various government agencies. Did he ever speak out against false claims? No. He defended NuSkin and its products, and continued to get even more people involved in that company.

Mark Yarnell had known for years that NuSkin's compensation plan drives people to the brink of bankrupcy. Did he ever speak out against that horrible fact, and on behalf of all the financially ruined people in NuSkin or in his downline? No. He simply continued to get people into the same situation.

Mark Yarnell has a reputation, but it's certainly not the kind of reputation that any of us who've been full-time in this industry for many years would want. [Possibly defamatory rant deleted...] On the other hand, people who don't know his background with NuSkin and the history of that company but have read his articles or books, or books in which he's mentioned as a "leader" in network marketing, think of Yarnell as some kind of guru. Yes indeed -- he's a guru like Jim Bakker.

Please keep up the good work. Some of us know the value of what you do. For my part, I've saved your website as one of my "favorite places," so whenever someone mentions Mark Yarnell or IE crystals or anything associated with those subjects I'll point them directly to your website. Thank you!

John Q. Networker

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Dave Touretzky
Last modified: Fri Apr 11 00:00:18 EDT 2008