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You have stumbled upon a company called iBuumerang and are wondering whether you can also make money as an affiliate or distributor.
You do realize that this is not a regular travel agency. iBuumerang works like an MLM company, and there is always something dodgy about that. At least in my opinion.
Is iBuumerang a scam?
In the following iBuumerang review, I am going to walk you through this company.
That includes checking what is the price to join, whether there is a potential to make some money, and who is behind this new MLM company.
Jump to:
- iBuumerang Review – Quick Summary
- What is iBuumerang?
- Who is Behind the iBuumerang?
- Is iBuumerang an MLM or Pyramide Scheme?
- What is the Price to Join?
- Products, That iBuumerang Offers
- How Can You Make Money with iBuumerang?
- iBuumerang Reviews
- Pros and Cons
- Alternatives to iBuumerang
- Conclusion
Disclaimer:
Please note, that I am not a member or an affiliate of iBuumerang.
This review is based on my research and information available online in the public domain. Any recommendations and conclusions are only opinions and may not apply to all persons or situations.
iBuumerang Review – Quick Summary
Name: iBuumerang
Website: www.home.ibuumerang.com
Price to Join: $49.95 per month + the pack starting from $250 up to $1,000
Recommended: Not as a business opportunity!
iBuumerang is an MLM company in a traveling niche.
The fact that this is an MLM company means that the one money one can make is via recruiting even though at the beginning you are told something different.
That is the way how all these MLM companies work.
I don’t recommend joining the iBuumerang.
99.7% of people involved in any MLM business don’t make any money, or worse – they lose money.
I understand that having an additional income stream, especially in the online world, becomes a necessity.
In 2020, we all have seen why.
First of all, it is important to realize that there is no such thing as “easy money”.
No one can make hundreds of dollars per day on autopilot.
To make a consistent income online, one must put effort into it, and also it is important to learn a few new skills.
I was fortunate to find one particular educational platform where I learned the evergreen method.
What is iBuumerang?
iBuumerang is a travel company that offers discounted travel packages for its members.
It operates as an MLM company. That means that instead of paying for advertisements, they recruit people who should recruit other people and these people then sell the travel packages.
How deep does it go?
iBuumerang has 6 levels and depending on what level you are on, you get also a different commission. But we will talk about that later.
The company was founded in 2019 as well as the website. (The company was officially founded in March 2019)
(The reason why I check the company website registration date is, that sometimes it happens that the company claims to be founded in let’s say 2012, and the website is registered 5 years later. That does not make sense, especially with companies having their website as a “headquarter”.)
Obviously, there is not much we can say about the history of this company.
We will mention later who is behind and there is a bit more to say.
iBuumerang is based in Houston Texas (unlike the majority of the MLMs which are located in Utah, as I mentioned in another review, about a company called Rain International).
The entire system is supposed to be based on the following:
“You Earn Money When Your Customer Saves Money”.
Sounds pretty cool, right?
Not so fast;
There is actually another company called Xstream.
This is a travel company that provides all the benefits to iBuumerang customers.
It has a long history of cooperation with other MLMs (for example InteleTravel or Paycation).
You can form your own opinion about InteleTravel by checking the website glassdoor.com.
Let’s say you, as an iBuumerang member share the iGo travel booking portal with friends and family.
Customers should get a 50% discount and the remaining 50% of savings goes to you in the form of cash.
That includes savings on Hotels, Car rentals, Cruises, Week, and more…
Here is the statement of the Holton Buggs CEO:
They want you to think that such cooperation is beneficial for all.
So again – this is how it works:
A member of iBuumerang sends people a request to visit a website with the best travel deals. In case someone books a trip through this site, the commission is paid to the member.
Well, I know it may sound tempting, but later we are going to check who is behind the iBuumerang and maybe we will understand that it is not as good as it sounds.
Who is Behind the iBuumerang?
The founder of iBuumerang is Holton Buggs.
I have dedicated a whole section to the Holton since this guy deserves it 🙂
He was born in Florida and already as a teenage boy started recruiting people to sell candies for him.
He went to college and got an engineering degree. As an Engineer, he realized that the salary could not provide him with the lifestyle he deserved.
In 1996, Holton started his business, but apparently because of the economy he had to close it down and got himself in debt.
It did not take long and his friend told him about a new MLM opportunity. Holton was doing all right, for a while.
Soon after he had to leave. This MLM was a pyramid scheme, and the only way to make some money was via recruiting.
He joins another MLM, this time a travel MLM called Your Travel Biz (or YTB International). Holton and Edwin Haynes had created a large network of distributors with the YTB.
The YTB (Your Travel Biz) was accused of being a pyramid scheme. Here is the screenshot of the article from 2008 concerning the YTB being just a typical MLM:
After the lawsuit, Holton left the company, he was broke.
Now, guess what Edwin Haynes does?
Does it sound familiar?
You are right, he is the Global Master Ambassador within the iBuumerang.
iBuumerang being on the market for less than a year; I think it is safe to say that everyone who is thinking about joining the company, should be on alert.
What prevents these guys from creating another pyramid scheme?
They got away with one already, right?
I am not here to raise accusations, but who knows what is going to happen later down the road?
We shouldn’t be surprised if the company faces some lawsuits in the near future.
Is iBuumerang an MLM or Pyramide Scheme?
iBuumerang has not been officially accused so for the time being it is a legit MLM company.
But let’s take a look at the difference.
It is important to realize what the Pyramid Scheme really means.
The best way how to distinguish between those two is to check whether the system has a product to sell.
If there is no product and the company heavily relies on recruiting pay close attention. Most likely it is a pyramid scheme.
On top of that, you are promised huge earnings – then you can say outright it is a pyramid scheme
On the other hand, a legitimate MLM has also a product to sell. So you have the possibility to earn money also by selling the products.
Most MLM distributors earn only from recruiting.
These are signs of typical pyramid schemes.
You can use this checklist whenever you want to evaluate a company that recruits new members and promises them huge monthly incomes, especially working from home.
What is the Price to Join iBuumerang?
First of all, you need to do is to purchase the standby enrollment kid.
You need this kid for whatever package you are going to choose.
Once you have paid the $49.95 standby kid, you can go ahead and choose one of 3 following Packs:
For example, if you choose the Business class, your total would be $549.95.
You see that depending on the pack, you earn a different commission. The more money you pay, the higher the commission you may get.
What Products iBuumerang Offers?
The products that are available are discount travel services.
They are called Boomerangs. As you see from the screenshots above you get the number of boomerangs depending on the pack you purchase.
Now, you send these boomerangs to your customers and they can access then the iGo booking portal.
The thing is that they have to be signed up with iBuumerang as well to get the discount.
If you run out of boomerangs, you’d have to purchase a new set of boomerangs. Unfortunately, the price for such a new set is not revealed.
How Can You Make Money with iBuumerang?
First of all, you need to join the company as an affiliate. There are different levels that you can join.
If there were no levels, you would be selling the products as a regular affiliate marketer.
If you were looking for an income disclosure to see how people are doing, I must disappoint you. There is no such document on their website.
And it might be OK even legally (unlike Rain International, which has not made it available for almost the last decade). The reason is that iBuumerang was founded only in 2019.
I believe it should be available on their website within a year from the foundation date. I will keep an eye on it.
Here is a more than 30-minute video about the compensation plan. You are welcome to watch it if you want to know more deeply about how it works within the iBuumerang.
Warning!
The video is almost 2 and a half hours long.
It seems that the company has no intention to explain its compensation plan in a clear way.
Nevertheless, people usually do not make money with MLM companies. You can take a look at the “well-established” MLM company 4-life.
In their income disclosure, you see that 96.7% of members make less than $140 per week (that is about $6,576 per year).
As I said 4life is one of the better MLM companies out there and thus the earnings.
In most MLMs, people usually lose money and that is the case with iBuumerang as well.
iBuumerang Reviews
As you browse through iBuumerang reviews on Trustpilot.com, a trend emerges.
Negative reviews tend to be detailed and tied to personal experiences, while positive ones are generally shorter and more general.
Despite the overall ratings, the specificity in negative reviews suggests they may be more genuine, often sharing specific concerns like scams.
Positive Reviews
- A user credits iBuumerang and its parent company, Ellev8, for demystifying trading, providing valuable courses, and fostering a supportive community.
- Another user appreciates the life-changing opportunity iBuumerang offers, allowing for flexible work arrangements and substantial income.
Negative Reviews
- Some reviewers caution against iBuumerang, citing personal experiences of being scammed, particularly highlighting concerns about the CEO’s past activities in the UAE.
- Another reviewer criticizes the company, alleging false promises, deceptive practices, and a push toward conformity within the organization.
- A former member expresses regret, describing the company as a scam that negatively impacted personal relationships and financial well-being.
- One review warns of the company’s recruitment tactics, accusing affiliates of being trained to manipulate and guilt-trip potential members into joining.
Mixed Reviews
- A user, initially expressing love for iBuumerang, later issues a cautionary note, mentioning false promises, financial losses, and a cult-like atmosphere within the organization.
- Another reviewer highlights technical issues with iBuumerang’s offerings, delays in product delivery, and concerns about the quality of received products.
What I like about iBuumerang
- User-friendly system for members when it comes to product promotion. That is due to the iGo booking engine, though.
What I don’t like about iBuumerang
- High Price. It is not cheap to get in and if someone wants to have a higher commission he has to pay $1,000+.
- There is no history of the iBuumerang. No income disclosure.
- The history of the founder. There are quite a few records of MLM companies and lawsuits connected with Holton Buggs.
- MLM in general – It is extremely difficult to make a living. Let alone this iBuumerang company with the controversial founder.
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Conclusion
iBuumerang raises concerns about the CEO’s history of involvement in a Ponzi scheme and a seemingly artificial connection to Xstream.
The high entry cost and minimal savings make it a questionable option.
When it comes to travel, opting for platforms like hotels.com seems more practical.
Collecting nights for free stays and enjoying lower prices outweigh the benefits promised by iBuumerang.
Consider exploring other options independently for better deals and savings.
If you have any questions, feel free to comment below, and I’ll be happy to provide more information.
Thank You For Reading,
Mike.
About the Author
Mike is an affiliate marketing analyst, content creator, and the founder of SetAffiliateBusiness.com.
Consistently producing in-depth and insightful articles. 📚💻
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Thank you so so much for your effort and for the truth. This saves people from their dirty scums. ANyway they will fall like shi t .
Glad you find the article helpful.
Well, it is up to each person to do the proper research, form an opinion and then take action.
Anyways, thanks a lot for your comment
Mike
So my queston is they are saying they will help you grow your own business. As in multiple streams of income including NFTs and entities. So if they keep in the future working with a variety of products, and investments and networking people, it seems a good fit for those that are aware of the other information that you get in this program that you have not mentioned. Professional Career building and great information from the teachings of Bob Proctor, now if you tell me that these very sincere people are not really trying to help people in this new time we are facing, then I might change my mind.
Thanks for your thoughts
M.
Thank you for this review on iBuumerang. I have heard of it before but was not sure about how the work.
You give great info for others to decide if this is right for them. Since this is a new company started in 2019 and with this coronavirus pandemic upon us, less people are traveling or making vacation plans. So I don’t see this as a worthwhile business opportunity at this time.
I prefer to book hotels through hotels dot com like you mentioned. Thanks for the info though.
Thank you for your comment
– exactly – very bad timing for such a company.
But despite the events that are going on around I think iBuumerang is not a good business opportunity for people who want to become financially independent.
iBuumerang along with other MLM companies does sell just dreams. People fall for it and only a fraction of them will make it – assuming that the borders will be open again as in 2019.
I would just like to say looking into it further I found customers get access to the site for free, and never pay a penny outside of travel. They also have a 110% price guarantee that customers can submit and get reimbursed. I dont see how helping friends and family save money on travel is a bad thing. Most MLMS are hard, not scams. People get fired everyday for not being good at their jobs, MLM u are ur own boss so u cant get fired, u just aren’t good at it. This looks to help everyone out because your not selling a product your sharing a product. Isnt that what Facebook does, and other social media apps. I have paid to advertise on there, and make sales, so what’s the difference of doing a $1,000 add on FB and making sales. Isnt that the same concept. Network Marketing and sports go hand in hand. You get paid to according how good you are In the company. If ur not good ur not gonna make a lot of money. If u are u will. But in regular 9-5 jobs, u get paid what they want to pay u for years u could be paid the same as the worst person ur office, and I dont think that’s fair. I played Pro Sports for 10+ years so I am speaking from experience
Thank you for your comment.
As a customer, you may get access to the site for free.
My concern is about the affiliates or iBuumerang distributors.
When a distributor wants to make money, he needs to give out a certain number of boomerangs. Now this costs money since the distributor (or iBuumerang affiliate) has to purchase the boomerangs.
5 Boomerangs $49.95
10 Boomerangs $$250
and so on.
But regarding the 9-5 I absolutely agree with you.
No matter what kind of business a person chooses (whether online business or MLM, offline business) it is better than a regular job in the long run.
There are many types of business and all of them require effort and time, though.
Those who are persistent will eventually reach financial freedom.
Hi Mike,
I read your review about ibuumerang and it was very interesting and good. Some questions I have left open and I would love for you to sharpen my interest:
1. I realized you recognized too many red flags in this company (like most MLM companies), and I still didn’t understand what the company’s business model was. How does she actually earn besides recruiting new partners? Let’s say my client found a $ 400 weekend deal in London for $ 400 through booking and through the igo portal found a $ 300 deal.
The customer is satisfied that the spare and the distributor receive 50% commission from the company. So the distributor gets a $ 50 commission from the savings and according to the company’s publications I saw that the company receives 35% of the savings. So who actually pays the company for the product? After all, what the customer paid goes to the hotel and if so, the company has no revenue from its product and its revenue is only affiliate marketing. I may have missed some point here, but I’m trying to figure out how the company actually makes a profit on its product, making it a legitimate network marketing company from that point of view? (And not only gain from new partners joining and joining)
2. How can I be sure that the company tomorrow will not fall apart and pay me the fees that I am entitled to?
It seems to be a lot more of a pyramid company based primarily on recruiting new distributors (as I understand most of their revenue from there) than a legitimate network marketing company that also benefits from the product (travel service savings, although I still didn’t understand how the company earns every deal and deal from a specific customer) .
And in the end, according to what I read in your review, beware of high-income home-based promises in network marketing companies and it is very difficult to succeed there (other than recruiting new people) and even be careful.
Thank you very much,
Omer
Hi Omer,
Glad you like the review.
You are asking very good questions.
Maybe I was not clear enough.
As iBuumerang distributor sends these “boomerangs” (or accesses to igo) a specific person or bunch of people. This distributor already has the name, surname, and his/her email address.
So First of all, this client has to reveal this information to iBuumerang distributor or the website.
But in my honest opinion, a person who found a deal on the booking doesn’t even bother to check some “deals” from travel agencies.
So let’s say they are some people who find this iBuumerang’s deals attractive.
They only get offers that are overpriced. In other words, if they dig bit more, I am sure they will find a better deal by themselves.
How hotels make a profit in such a case?
A company offering accommodation can have their “standard” prices and then higher prices – and they offer these to other agencies.
For example, 5 years ago I had an agency offering special outdoor activities. I had certain prices, so if the client contacted me directly they pay for example $500.
My costs were $400, so my profit were $100.
Now for me in order to expand and to reach more customers I contacted other agencies. But they ask a 35% commission. No way I could payout 35% with my standard prices unless I set up higher prices.
So this is one of the ways how the hotels might work.
Again, if the customer does a bit more research and contacts the hotel (or similar institution) directly, sure he gets the best price (without paying the 3rd party).
But let’s not forget that iBuumerang is still quite new, and considering the past of the owner, I would be careful to book the vacations via iBuumerang.
And we are getting to your 2nd question – you are absolutely right.
As most of the MLM companies go down within 1st 5 years, this can easily be the case iBuumerang as well.
At the end of the day, it has patterns of the pyramid scheme, and I think it is matter of time until FTC will officially say so.
Thank you for your valuable comments and questions.
Have a good one
Mike