Real Estate Workshop Agrees to Voluntarily Modify, Discontinue Certain Claims for its Government Tax Lien Network; ERSP Find Certain Claims Supported

New York, NY – Sept. 29,  2017 – The Electronic Retailing Self-Regulation Program (ERSP) has determined that the Real Estate Workshop can substantiate pricing claims communicated during  free live seminars for the Government Tax Lien Network.

The company voluntarily agreed to discontinue the communication of earnings claims and references to quick and easy profits, general rates of returns that may be expected by consumers investing in tax liens and promising appearances on a reality television show as incentive to participate in its program.

ERSP is an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation. I is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. The marketer’s advertising came to the attention of ERSP pursuant to its ongoing monitoring program.

ERSP reviewed a free online seminar for the Government Tax Lien network, entitled “Flipping Tax Lien Live Event” and identified several claims for review, including:

• “It is usually $1,600.00 for tax lien training, $3,000.00 for real estate training. Never raised or lowered this price. Today it is $797.00 for both if you pay today, and you get the three day workshop for two people and phone conferences for one year.”

• “100% money back guarantee. Triple your investment within six months or less or you get the $797.00 back.”

• “Zero to successful in 6 months or less, guaranteed”

• “Typically the room will have 300 to 400 people, but this was smaller on purpose to recruit for a television show.”

During the initial stages of ERSP’s inquiry, the marketer informed ERSP that many of the claims that served as a basis for this inquiry were mistakenly made by the seminar host. Specifically, the marketer informed ERSP that it does not have a reality television show and committed to stop making any references to such shows at future seminars.

Based upon the evidence in the test record, ERSP concluded that the marketer provided sufficient information to support its claims that the price of Government Tax Lien network program had been reduced to $797.00. ERSP recommended that unless the marketer has never lowered the price of the tax lien and real estate training, even at other free, live seminars, it should not continue to communicate the claims that it “never raised or lowered this price.”

The marketer agreed to discontinue references to earning money quickly and easily through investing in tax liens, providing tax advice at seminars, and any reference to general rates of return that may be expected by consumers investing in tax liens.

The company, in its marketer’s statement, said, “The Real Estate Workshop (“REW”) appreciates the opportunity to work with ERSP to clarify and to resolve any perceived marketing problems.  REW’s involvement with ERSP prompted a deep reflection on all of the company’s marketing efforts. This reflection has resulted in modifying some of the company’s positions and a renewed effort to ensure all of its presenters and sales personnel are complying with its internal compliance procedures …”