ERSP Finds Global Learning Partners, LLC Can Support Certain Claims for ‘Real Estate Wealth Expo,’ Recommends Marketer Modify or Discontinue Other Claims

New York, NY – Sept. 13, 2017 – The Electronic Retailing Self-Regulation Program (ERSP) has recommended that Global Learning Partners, LLC modify or discontinue claims made in online and print advertising for its Real Estate Wealth Expo.

ERSP is an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation and is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. The marketer’s advertising came to the attention of ERSP pursuant to an anonymous competitor challenge.

ERSP reviewed online and print claims that included:

• “This exciting Expo will show you 100’s of WAY TO MAKE MONEY FAST.”
• “If you really want to make money fast, you must come to this life changing EXPO!”
• “Thousands of people who had little or no experience in business are now making INSANE money.”
• “Make money on a part time basis while keeping your job. This day is filled with money making opportunities for both beginner and experienced investors.”
• “ Discover how to make $500,000+ a year from foreclosures”
• “Come to America’s LARGEST REAL ESTATE WEALTH EXPO”

At the outset of the inquiry, the marketer informed ERSP that it will no longer be making any claims indicating that earning money through the techniques discussed at the Real Estate Wealth Expo is either fast or easy (i.e., “This exciting Expo will show you 100’s of WAY TO MAKE MONEY FAST” and “Get started flipping property in your area. Once you learn our system, it’s fast and easy”). It also indicated that it would no longer communicate any quantified earnings claims in future advertising for Real Estate Wealth Expo events.
ERSP determined that certain claims (e.g., “Discover how to make $500,000+ a year from foreclosures”) when communicated in the context of the subject advertising could reasonably create typical earning expectations for consumers. Accordingly, ERSP recommended that any such claims which communicate atypical earnings expectations be discontinued in future advertising for the Real Estate Wealth Expo unless they are accompanied by a disclosure indicating what the typical consumer can earn using the particular real estate strategy referenced in the triggering claim or testimonial.

Global Learning Partners informed ERSP during the inquiry that the claim “You Will Receive These Free Gifts” (accompanied by images of a certificate of real estate investing, $1000 cash, ‘our proven system,’ Microsoft Surface Pro, fitness tracker, and an Amazon Echo) was modified to make it clear that the listed gifts are not given out to all registrants who attend the Real Estate Wealth Expo but, instead, registrants are entered into a raffle for the free gifts and prizes.

ERSP determined that the “Come to America’s LARGEST REAL ESTATE WEALTH EXPO” claim was appropriately communicated in the advertising.

The company, in its marketer’s statement, said, “… We believe in the spirit of voluntary self-regulation and the customer is always right. Global Learning Partners will take ERSP’s recommendations into consideration in our future advertising.”