Blog on the Lillypad
Thursday, June 17, 2004
 | Is it Scam?
Scamming in the Fundamental Christian culture is just as real as the doctrinal errors that abound, the problems of deep moral corruption that I document, and the lack of accountability that is so problematic among preachers in Fundamentalism. Today I got a letter "From the Home of Dan & Debbie Gibson." Inside was a family picture of 5 white bread and mayo kids and their parents. |
Boy, I've seen this before, I thought. I had to rein in my uncharitable thoughts. But in two separate churches, I have run into Christian scammers. And one of them (a married couple) used their large family as a means to fit into the image of the ideal home schooling, evangelistic, right-with-God family as they worked their way up the hierarchy within the church and took advantage of the good hearted people around them. Many of us remember the Gentle Spirit magazine that went bust when its founder---ann advocate of no birth control, head coverings on girls at all times, home schooling, and things that apparently sounded right to many conservative Christians, left her husband for another man and did not return subscription moneys and money from merchandise orders.
People like these have taught me to be distrustful of smiling family portraits thrust under my eyes as the preliminary for a request for money, or an investment, or a business opportunity (or even as the mere excuse to "let us get to know you.")
They want me to get in on the EcoQuest sales system, and I am
guaranteed to make six figures in almost no time. Hmmm. You know,
000,000.00 is a six figure amount.
Who knows, maybe Dan and Debbie Gibson really are just trying to help others go into business? But the return address of the letter they sent is merely a post office box. And though the return address on the letter (clearly part of a mass mailing) is from The Colony, Texas (postmarked from Lewisville, TX), their website traces back to a Greg Boyer of Modesto CA (gboyer@sbcglobal.net)
And in the six-page letter I received, (printed on both sides of three sheets), dear Brother Dan never mentions his actual ministry, never talks about the poor he has given to, never references his church. In fact, there is no way to track these people back to anything that will document Gibson's claims of being in the ministry. And why send a picture of the family? Why not send a picture of the EcoQuest they are trying to get me to sell?
In the end, the letter appeals to the same drives that all "get rich quick" letters appeal to: financial freedom and freedom to do what you like. Dan thoughtfully supplies glittering accounts of exotic vacations and new cars they can afford with the slick expertise of a carnival barker rather than a pastor. And the letter promises the same guarantee that "get rich quick" schemes offer: it's easy, the market is huge and wide open, and you don't have to be a sales person to sell this product.
My choice is to stay away from this once in a lifetime deal. If you get bitten by the Gibson bug, at least check out who they really are, get some references on Dan Gibson's history as a minister (like where he went to school, and check with his alma mater), and get some history on the people, listed on the third page, who praise Gibson's product and sales method.
ADDENDUM I checked around on the internet. A quick glance shows that in 2000 the Justice Department went after Alpine (maker of EcoQuest) and EcoQuest International (distributing arm) for making unsubstantiated claims about their product. Complaints have been made about the workmanship and effectiveness of the machines. And the wonderful business plan set out by the Gibsons is what I figured: a multi-level marketing scheme. Best advice, don't take this bait.
Fayettville
Barbee
Parkwood(McCormick)
Left on Timmons
2nd on left, Timmons
5003 t6 96 7 77 a5
