Case #205-2025: Monitoring Inquiry – JIFU Travel, LLC

BBB NATIONAL PROGRAMS

Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council
Case #205-2025: Monitoring Inquiry – JIFU Travel, LLC

 

Company Description

JIFU Travel, LLC (“JIFU” or the “Company”) is a multi-level marketing company that was launched in 2019 and headquartered in Meridian, Idaho. The Company markets services in travel, health, and education. JIFU members can access discounts on hotels, resorts, and other travel-related services, as well as health products and educational resources.

 

Basis of Inquiry

The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) is a national advertising self-regulation program administered by BBB National Programs.

This inquiry was commenced by DSSRC pursuant to its ongoing independent monitoring of advertising in the direct selling marketplace and pertains to income claims disseminated by the Company and its salesforce members. DSSRC was concerned that the representative claims below communicated the message that the typical JIFU affiliate member can generally expect to earn significant income from the Company’s business opportunity.

The representative claims that formed the basis of this inquiry are set forth below:

Earnings Claims

  1. “I’m showing 100 people how to get 3 to 50k a month 😳 Start your wholesale travel business for $32.50 down using Klarna!  $130 total! Lock in at top spots, timing and positioning is everything don’t wait!”

    (July 2024)

  2. “We have an opportunity that MOST people can now join with $0 out of pocket cost that can generate thousands of dollars monthly”

    (July 2024)

  3. “My goal is to replace my full time income in the next year!!” (August 2023)
  4. “For some affiliates, that means making some extra income to supplement their full time job, that means earning serious cash and making JIFU their full time gig” (June 2023)
  5. “🚀 Your journey to success and financial freedom starts now - be part of our JIFU team!... Independence: Become your own boss and organize your life the way you want. We offer you a proven system to successfully enter the world of financial independence… exclusive perks and bonus programs that make your journey to financial freedom even more attractive.” (January 2024)
  6. “Your journey to success & financial freedom starts now” (February 2024)
  7. “Your dedication and relentless drive have earned you a well-deserved milestone, bringing in $700 USD per month in passive residual income! #FinancialFreedom” (August 2024)
  8. “Unlock Financial Freedom with Knowledge! 💡
    "Financial freedom is available to those who learn about it and work for it." 📚💰
    Are you ready to take control of your financial journey? We've got you covered! 🌟
    Invest in yourself today and pave the way for a brighter, more secure future. #FinancialFreedom” (January 2024)
  9. “How you can make 5 figures a month all from home” (February 2024)
  10. “…why I chose JIFU as my main business, my main income, and what allowed my husband to quit his 9-5 last summer in 2023. We are parents of three young kids under age 6 so for us to be able to do a full-time job with part time hours but be able to make full-time income because of an aspect like travel and having a person save money and where they have to go anyways is a huge deal.” (February 2024)
  11. “…you need to start compounding a way to replace that 9-5 income forever. If you resonated with all that, and you’re serious about finding out about how you can earn an extra 100 to 200 dollars a day, year 3,000 to 6,000 dollars extra each and every month…”
  12. “I make 5 figures a month all from my cell phone in 1 to 2 hours a day

    (February 2024)

  13. “Did you know that you could actually be making 6 figures a month and not have a college degree?” (March 2024).
  14. “I have no experience online but I am on my way to well making 5 figures a month.” (March 2024)

 

 Company’s Position

JIFU did not attempt to support the earnings claims that were brought to its attention. Rather, the Company took immediate action to contact the individuals responsible for the claims at issue and request that they be removed.

The Company informed DSSRC that it was successful in disabling 12 of the 14 claims during the pendency of the inquiry.

 

Analysis

DSSRC verified that the Company voluntarily removed 12 of the 14 claims identified in the inquiry and determined that JIFU’s actions were necessary and appropriate.1

Notwithstanding the Company’s actions, DSSRC remained concerned with the still existing, unqualified claims communicating that the typical JIFU salesforce member can earn significant income from the Company’s business opportunity. For example, social media posts that remain publicly accessible and targeted to potential entry level salesforce members claim that the JIFU opportunity will allow them to, among other things, “…replace my full time income in the next year” and achieve “financial freedom.”

DSSRC determined that these earnings claims communicate an unrealistic picture of the income that the typical Company salesforce member can generally expect to receive from participating in the JIFU business opportunity.

The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Business Guidance for Multi-Level Marketing (“the FTC Guidance”), states that “any earnings claim should reflect what the typical person to whom the representation is directed is likely to achieve in income, profit, or appreciation.”2 Moreover, an MLM or individual participant making claims about MLM income must have a reasonable basis for the claims disseminated to current or prospective participants about the business opportunity at the time it makes the claims.3 This includes “reliable, empirical evidence demonstrating that the typical person in the group . . . is likely to realize . . . an amount equal to or greater than that conveyed by the earnings or lifestyle claim.”4 The FTC Guidance further notes that given the reality of MLM experiences, even truthful testimonials of individuals who earn large amounts of money or career-level money is atypical to the what most MLM participants will achieve.5 Therefore, presenting atypical earnings “is likely to generate a deceptive impression” of the earning potential of a given business opportunity.

A core principle articulated in the DSSRC Guidance on Earnings Claims for the Direct Selling Industry (“the DSSRC Earnings Claim Guidance”) is that it is misleading for a direct selling company and/or its salesforce members to make any earnings claims unless the direct selling company and/or its salesforce members: (A) have a reasonable basis for the claim at the time the claim is made; and (B) have documentation that substantiates the claim at the time the claim is made.6 Moreover, claims such as “full-time income” and “replacement income” should be avoided when communicated to prospective or current salesforce members.7 It is further noted that “[s]ome words or phrases carry a particularly high risk of being misleading to consumers when communicated in a general context. Such words and phrases include but are not limited to ‘financial freedom…’”.8

In the absence of any evidence demonstrating that the earnings claims communicated in the social media posts, which remain accessible to the public, reflect the amount of income that can be generally expected by the typical JIFU salesforce member, DSSRC recommended that the remaining posts be discontinued or modified to remove the subject earnings claims.

Moreover, DSSRC further recommended that if the individuals responsible for the remaining two social media posts are active salesforce members with the Company and continue to be unresponsive to JIFU’s request to reconcile the posts, JIFU should pursue the appropriate enforcement mechanisms (i.e., termination or suspension of the individual’s account) available to the Company pursuant to its contract with the salesforce members.

Lastly, if the Company remains unsuccessful in having the individuals remove the two publicly accessible posts, as a demonstration of its good faith efforts to address DSSRC’s concerns, JIFU should attempt to contact Facebook to advise them of the unauthorized claims and request that the posts be removed. Additionally, DSSRC also recommended that JIFU include a statement in the comment section of the posts informing the public that the respective claim has not been authorized by the Company.  

 

Conclusion

DSSRC confirmed that 12 of the 14 earnings claims brought to the Company’s attention have been removed. Notwithstanding this action, DSSRC remained concerned with the two remaining unqualified claims communicating that the typical JIFU salesforce member can earn significant income from the Company’s business opportunity. DSSRC determined that in the absence of evidence indicating that such income could be generally expected by the typical JIFU salesforce member, such posts should be discontinued or modified to remove the identified earnings claims. DSSRC further recommended that if the Company remains unsuccessful in having the individuals remove the posts, it should pursue appropriate enforcement mechanisms against the salesforce members responsible for the claims and subsequently contact Facebook to advise them of the unauthorized claims and request that the posts be removed.

 

Company Statement

“JIFU is a strong advocate for industry self-regulation and appreciates the opportunity to address DSSRC’s inquiry. The company fully agrees to adhere to the recommendations outlined in the report. Earlier this month, JIFU issued final warnings to the individuals responsible for the two remaining non-compliant social media posts, informing them that their accounts would be terminated within 24 hours if the content was not removed. Copies of this correspondence were provided to DSSRC. Additionally, if these individuals remain unresponsive, JIFU has escalated the matter by reporting the posts to Facebook and requesting their removal.

JIFU is appreciative of the effort to protect the direct sales industry, made by the DSSRC day in and day out.”

 

(Case No 205-2025. Closed on 3/18/25)
© 2025 BBB National Programs

 

 

[1] The claims listed as #4 and #6 in the Basis of Inquiry remain publicly accessible.

[2] See Fed. Trade Comm’n, Business Guidance Concerning Multi-Level Marketing, Section 13 (April 2024) https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/business-guidance-concerning-multi-level-marketing#deceptive.

[3] Id. at Section 18.

[4] Id.

[5] Id. at Section 13.

[6] Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council, Guidance on Earnings Claims for the Direct Selling Industry, Section 1 (2022). dssrc_guidanceonearningsclaimsforthedirectsellingindustry.pdf

[7] Id, at Section 6. dssrc_guidanceonearningsclaimsforthedirectsellingindustry.pdf

[8] Id. at Section 6(A)