Crimes of Persuasion

Schemes, scams, frauds.



Terms and Conditions Documentation used in the TCI Investment Club scam

Note: Information contained herein is not an endorsement. It is simply copied from the source as an example of what the scammers required in order to dupe victims.

It is possible that TCI stands for Turks and Caicos Islands.

Update 05/05: It seems that the operation has ceased payments in 2003 and started to implode. Victims have set up a site to discuss the likelihood of ever seeing any money returned. TCI Investment Club Victims


Domain Name: TCIINVESTMENTS.COM registered 03-Sep-1999

Administrative Contact, Billing Contact:
BMI SERVICES (BS1777-ORG) no.valid.email@WORLDNIC.NET
1700 Hyde Park Road - Unit 11
LONDON, ONTARIO N6H 5L7
CANADA
519 472 8697
Fax- 519 472 6089

Hosted on and Technical Contact:
Network Operations Centre Internet (NO1052-ORG) noc@CANDW.KY
Cable & Wireless CI Ltd
P.O. Box 293 G
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
KY
345-949-7800
Fax- 345-945-2525


The TCI Investment Club On-Line Application Form

You MUST purchase a Private Safe PC package (for desktop computers) or a Private Safe PCM/CIA package (for laptop computer) to establish secure communication with the TCI Investment Club.

To order the equipment necessary, click here: www.privatewire.tv


Before submitting an application to TCI we want any new applicant to be aware that TCI is an Internet based investment club. All communications are via the Internet using encrypted e-mail.

This application contains the entire TCI Investment Club Contractual Agreement. This is not a Public Offering. This Cyber document is an Internationally recognized, legally binding contract.

AGREE OR DISAGREE WHERE REQUIRED. IF AT ANY TIME THE APPLICANT DISAGREES, THE APPLICATION PROCESS WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE TERMINATED.


If application is accepted by TCI Investment Club member will be notified via email and supplied with the most recent wiring instructions. Processing of completed applications will take between one (1) and up to five (5) business days. Refer to TCI "Terms and Conditions" (See below) for a full explanation of how and when any new funds begin to earn interest.

Submission of this information, in no way commits the applicant to participating with TCI Investment Club. The Applicant does however, authorize TCI to make inquiries wherever they require, including a consumer report, regarding all information provided by applicant.

If your application is accepted, you will email a copy of your passport photo page and wire transfer confirmation document to our office. We will contact you with details.


The application consists of the following:

blue bullet point TCI Disclaimer
blue bullet point Application Instruction
blue bullet point Client Information Sheet
blue bullet point Subscription Agreement
blue bullet point TCI Terms and Conditions
blue bullet point Non-circumvention / Non-disclosure Agreement
blue bullet point 2 Year detailed History of Funds
blue bullet point Anti-Money Laundering Affidavit
blue bullet point Terms of Use

TCI DISCLAIMER

TCI IS NOT ASSOCIATED with any other investment club, product, service or association. If ANY secondary party requires that you pay any fee, membership initiation charge or if you have been presented additional paperwork, quoted any potential returns, or if any other requirement has been imposed or demanded by said party, including any requirement to join another organization, club, group, association etc., it is neither authorized nor sanctioned by TCI Investment Club, should be disregarded and reported to the management.


USER NAME OF REFERRING TCI MEMBER:

CONFIDENTIAL CLIENT INFORMATION  (detailed)

PASSPORT INFORMATION (detailed)

DRIVERS LICENSE INFORMATION (detailed)


SUBSCRIPTION (ALL FIELDS MANDATORY)

  1. The Subscriber hereby subscribes for ___ investment units in TCI Investment Club (TCI) at a purchase price of US$5,000.00 per unit. (Minimum 2 units)
  2. The Subscriber agrees to pay the total subscription price of US$ ___ by bank wire to TCI upon acceptance of this subscription by TCI.
  3. The Subscriber directs that, if this subscription is accepted by TCI, the investment units be made out in the name(s) of: (may be a corporation or individual) Name(s),

BENEFICIARY INFORMATION -

In the event that the Subscriber or other holder in whose name(s) the investment units are issued is no longer capable of managing the investment units, whether due to incapacity or death, the Company is authorized and directed to take instructions for management from _______.


TCI Investment Club: Terms and Conditions

  1. The undersigned wishes to be a member of the TCI Investment Club and understands that this is not a public offering. They confirm that they have not paid any fee to become a member of the TCI Investment Club.
  2. Club member warrants that he or she has received no solicitations or contact from the Club or any party acting for the Club with respect to advice regarding any investment and subscribes to the Club acting of his or her own initiative.
  3. TCI is an internet based Club and does not have any associates available for direct communication. All communication to the Club management is by encrypted messages via email. Member is required to purchase a Private Safe, a Smartcard and Syncrypt software. Member is responsible for learning to use all equipment (Hardware and software.) associated with proper communication with the Club management.
  4. Member's funds will not be eligible to receive profit unless we have a Syncrypt Public Key on file.
  5. TCI will not be responsible if the Member's communications to TCI are not received in an encrypted, readable format and in a timely manner.
  6. The Terms and Conditions can be modified anytime without notice and the new Terms and Conditions will supersede any past agreement.
  7. If any changes are made to the Terms and Conditions they will appear at the front of our website. When the member signs onto the website they will have the opportunity to read any changes to the Terms and Conditions and at that time they may agree or disagree with any changes in the Terms and Conditions. If there is a disagreement, e-mail our office for discussion.
  8. Club member agrees to abide, at all times, by the taxation laws of the jurisdiction in which he or she resides, with respect to such participation in Club investment units.
  9. TCI Investment Club neither warrants nor guarantees a return on investment. Units placed with Investment Club, are accepted on a "Best Efforts" basis. Past performance is never an indication of future performance.
  10. Club member agrees to keep all passwords strictly confidential. TCI Investment Club will not be held responsible for negligence on behalf of Club member regarding loss of smart card and/or disclosure of passwords that enables access to file and loss of information and/or funds.
  11. Club member is restricted to viewing information on their computer screen only and agrees to never print, fax, e-mail or copy down information provided. Any breech will cause immediate removal from Club.
  12. TCI allows a thirty-day "cooling off" period. For those investors who wish to cancel their subscription a full return of capital, minus a Two Hundred and Fifty dollar ($250.00) service charge, is offered within this time frame.
  13. New funds, having met all due diligence criteria, deposited into TCI's account by the 25th of the month, will participate in the following months profits. (Due diligence process may take up to three (3) business weeks.) This is the date that your funds are received into the TCI account by the receiving bank. TCI is not a bank and has no control on when your funds are transferred by the receiving bank into our final credit account. TCI is not responsible for funds that arrive to the Final destination bank prior to the 25th of any given month, but are not transferred to TCI's final credit account until after the 25th day of that month. TCI is not responsible for funds that are misdirected by any of the intermediary banks prior to them being deposited into the TCI's final credit account and will NOT give credit to Members account until funds are received into TCI's Final credit account.
  14. A statement of account will be posted on the 5th of each month and will reflect up to the end of the previous month. If profit is generated, it is posted on this monthly statement. If member does not withdraw profit, this profit becomes new Principal and all restrictions with regards to Principal will apply. Any return shown on a statement is calculated on the Club member's final balance from the previous month, less any profits taken. If there is an error or omission in the statement a Club member must notify TCI Investment Club within twenty-five (25) days after the posting date of the statement.
  15. Any withdrawal requests must be on the TCI email address no later than 5 PM Eastern Standard time on the 10th day of the month following the statement posting on the 5th day of the same month. If messages are not received within this timeframe on the TCI email site in an encrypted and readable format, they will not be processed.
  16. TCI will accept new members to the club. New members may NOT withdraw any interest for their first twelve (12) months.
  17. If a member wishes to withdraw their principal they may do so on the one-year anniversary date of their principal deposit. For example (1): Members principal begins earning interest on July 1. This principal amount may be withdrawn after the July 5th statement one year later. If principal is not withdrawn after the anniversary statement, the principal will be rolled over and re-invested for one year from that date. For example (2): A profit is available after the October 5th statement is posted. If it is not requested, it will be rolled over and re-invested for one (1) year from that date.
  18. In members second year with the Club, member may withdraw up to 100% of available profit posted on the monthly statement up to TWICE yearly.
  19. In members third year with the Club, member may withdraw up to 100% of available profit posted on the monthly statement up to THREE TIMES yearly.
  20. In members fourth year with the Club and all subsequent years, member may withdraw up to 100% of available profit posted on the monthly statement up to FOUR TIMES yearly.
  21. A members starting date in TCI is the first day that their funds began earning interest. Please record this date. Check statement to confirm this date.
  22. An existing member to the club may add funds to their account in minimum ten (10) thousand dollar blocks; the member may withdraw any interest that is earned on these new funds in accordance with the withdrawal guidelines.
  23. Withdrawals are not allowed in amounts less than five (5) thousand dollars. A member must have an available profit (interest) of five (5) thousand dollars or more in order to take a withdrawal.
  24. When a member requests more withdrawals in any given year than are set out in the guidelines, this announces to the Club management that the member is closing their account. Interest will NOT be paid on member's funds after the last allowable withdrawal in any given year is paid. After the last allowable withdrawal in any given year is paid to the member, the Club will forward the balance of the members account in equal payments over the next twelve months. Account is then closed.
  25. Available Principal or available Profit may be transferred from an existing TCI account to another existing or new TCI account in minimums of twenty-five (25) thousand dollars. Any internal transfer will be treated as a new deposit and will be subject to all restrictions associated with new deposits. Any internal transfer will count as one (1) withdrawal by the transferor. The receiver of the internal transfer must fill out the Online Application of the club, as any new member would. On the application when asked for the History of Funds, indicate that the funds are an internal transfer from - (Record the six letter User Name of transferring member.)
  26. Member will pay all bank charges, whether funds are transferring into TCI's account, or if funds are transferring to member.
  27. Any bank charges that TCI incurs with regards to incorrect delivery coordinates supplied by member, or requests for information by member, will be debited to members account.
  28. If funds were returned to TCI's account due to incorrect delivery coordinates provided by member, the disbursement request would show on the following months statement as a disbursement, then as an addition minus the bank and transport charges.
  29. TCI reserves the right to process funds in any way it deems necessary in order to expedite the transfer of funds.
  30. Withdrawals requested by Club members are sent via couriered bank draft. Allow sixty (60) calendar days (45 banking days) to receive principal and/or interest.
  31. TCI Investment Club may, from time to time, give any provided information about member (passport number, source of funds, 2 year history of funds, bank reference) to any person or agency requiring full disclosure of TCI Investment Club's assets with whom TCI Investment Club may have or purpose to have financial dealings. Club member also agrees that TCI Investment Club may use the information given to establish and maintain a relationship with said Club member and to offer services as required by law.
  32. Members agree to keep completely confidential the names of any banks, lending institutions, corporations, individuals, trusts, lenders, investors, borrowers, buyers, and/or sellers introduced by TCI to Member.
  33. Members will not discuss the clubs dealings with anyone. This is considered a most serious breach of contract and is dealt with in the strictest means possible. It is understood and agreed that TCI Investment Club will terminate, without explanation or warning, any subscribers ability to participate in any Club opportunity. In the event of disclosure, assumed disclosure, circumvention or assumed circumvention, any breach or assumed breach of this Agreement, either directly or indirectly, the subscriber's position with TCI shall be immediately terminated. Subscribers funds will be returned within forty-five (45) banking days and all profits will be forfeited. If Management removes a Member from the Club, the member will receive a full return of their initial principal. (Minus any costs associated with the return.) If member has withdrawn any profit during any period prior to an early return of principal, this amount will be deducted from principal. Member will pay all bank and courier charges with relation to the early return of principal.
  34. Members may not pool funds and create an investment group with any other people. Member will not allow anyone, other than the original applicant, to deposit funds to their account. This is considered a most serious breach of contract and is dealt with in the strictest means possible. It is understood and agreed that TCI Investment Club will terminate, without explanation or warning, any subscribers ability to participate in any Club opportunity, if it is suspected that they are pooling funds and operating another investment group. If Management removes a Member from the Club, the member will receive a full return of their initial principal. (Minus any costs associated with the return.) If member has withdrawn any profit during any period prior to an early return of principal, this amount will be deducted from principal. Member will pay all bank and courier charges with relation to the early return of principal.
  35. If at any time a Club member no longer wishes to participate with TCI Investment Club and they want an immediate payout from the club, the member will receive a full return of their initial principal. (Minus any costs associated with the return.) There is no interest paid. If member has withdrawn any profit during any period prior to an early withdrawal of principal, this amount will be deducted from principal. Member will pay all banks and courier charges with relation to the early withdrawal of principal.

Non-Disclosure, Non-Circumvention Agreement

THIS AGREEMENT by and between the Subscriber, and, TCI Investment Club, by self representation and/or corporate representation, whom, individually and/or collectively represent the Investor(s), Lender(s), Borrower(s), Bank(s), Financial Institution(s), etc., is a reciprocal and mutual contract between all parties; individually and/or collectively. All parties, individually and/or collectively, irrevocably and unconditionally agree to as follows:

  1. THE PARTIES AGREE to keep completely confidential the names of banks, lending institutions, corporations, individuals, trusts, lenders, investors, borrowers, buyers, and/or sellers introduced by any of the parties or their associates. Such identity shall remain confidential during applicable transaction(s) and for a period of Five (5) years following introduction. In all matters of disclosure to third parties, the party to this Agreement who is the introducing party shall have the final decision on the information to be disclosed and the method and procedure of the disclosure to the third parties.
  2. THE SUBSCRIBER AGREES to payment of bonuses, fees, and/or commissions in any transaction with any bank, lending institutions, corporations, individuals, trusts, lenders, investors, borrowers, buyers, and/or sellers will be paid to parties in percentages on a per transaction basis.
  3. DISCUSSION OF THE CLUBS DEALINGS with outsiders is considered a most serious breach of contract and is dealt with in the strictest means possible. It is understood and agreed that TCI Investment Club may terminate, without explanation or warning, any subscribers ability to participate in any Club opportunity. In the event of disclosure, assumed disclosure, circumvention or assumed circumvention, any breach or assumed breach of this Agreement, either directly or indirectly, the subscriber's position with TCI shall be immediately terminated. Subscribers funds will be returned within twenty (20) banking days and all profits will be forfeited.
  4. Subscriber to TCI, agrees to abide by the rules of non-circumvention, non-disclosure, non-competition, and/or non-solicitation established by the latest edition/revision of the International Chamber of Commerce, Paris, France for a period of Five (5) years from the date of this Agreement. This understanding shall survive the termination of this Agreement for any reason. No subscriber will attempt to contact, deal with in any way or solicit the source or customer/contact or each other at any time, or any manner, without the prior written consent of TCI. This Agreement shall be kept confidential by and between the subscriber and TCI, and is NOT to be exposed and/or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, except on a "need to know" basis, and only then by the written consent of TCI. This Agreement shall bind the parties, and their heirs, successors, assigns, and associates, and shall provide as exclusive agency for parties introduced to this and/or future dealings.

FURTHERMORE, it is hereby mutually agreed that a Cyber Contract of this document including signatures, will be legally binding and deemed legally equal to an original executed Agreement.


I,___________________  , HEREWITH confirm with full personal responsibility that I have funds as referenced above and below at my disposal and under my exclusive control for the purpose of participation in TCI.

I REPRESENT UNCONDITIONALLY, that these funds are free from any and all taxes, levies, duties, charges liens or encumbrances of any nature, are good, clean clear, legally earned and of legal origin and that I am the legal owner and exclusive signatory with respect to the above mentioned funds.

Please give a detailed description of the source of these funds:

THESE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM:
(Specify names and addresses of Banks or Brokerage firms, Account numbers, branch numbers, phone numbers and contact names. Any information you can provide will speed up our due diligence process.)


THE MONEY LAUNDERING CONTROL ACT

The Money Laundering Control Act (the "Act") makes it criminal for anyone to conduct or attempt to conduct certain financial activities that involve the proceeds of unlawful activities. As the transfer of assets into a limited partnership, trust, or other entity may constitute a financial activity within the scope of the Act, it is necessary that you swear under oath that none of the assets intended to be transferred to such entities were derived from any of the criminal activities specified in the Act.

The specified unlawful activities under the Act consist primarily of drug trafficking offences, financial misconduct and environmental crimes. Drug-trafficking offences include the manufacture, importation, sale, or distribution of controlled substances; the commission of acts constituting a continuing criminal enterprise; and transportation of drug paraphernalia.

Covered financial misconduct includes the concealment of assets from a receiver, custodian, trustee, marshal, or other officer of the court, from creditors in a bankruptcy proceeding, or from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Resolution Trust Corporation, or a similar agency or person; the making of a fraudulent conveyance in contemplation of a bankruptcy proceeding or with the intent to defeat the bankruptcy law; the giving of false oaths or claims in relation to a bankruptcy proceeding; bribery; the giving of commissions or gifts for the procurement of loans; theft embezzlement, or misapplication of bank funds or funds of other ending, credit, or insurance institutions; the making of fraudulent bank or credit institution entries or loan or credit applications; and mail, wire, or bank fraud or bank or postal robbery or theft.

Environmental crimes include violations of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the Ocean Dumping Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act, and similar federal statutes.

Other specified crimes include counterfeiting, espionage, kidnapping or hostage-taking, the copyright infringement, entry of goods by means of false statements, smuggling goods into the United States or Canada, removing goods from the custody of Customs, illegally exporting arms, and trading with United States or Canada's enemies.

AFFIDAVIT

I have read the above summary of The Money Laundering Control Act and swear or affirm under penalty of perjury that the funds that have been or shall be transferred into the various entity accounts established by TCI, with which I am involved, did not originate in contravention of the Act.


TERMS OF USE AGREEMENT BETWEEN MEMBER OF TCI, USE OF WEBSITE, TCI EMAIL SITE AND TCI SERVICES

The TCI Website, TCI E-mail Site and/or Services is comprised and operated by TCI.

The TCI Website, E-mail site and TCI Services, is offered to you conditioned on your acceptance without modification of the Terms, Conditions, and notices contained therein.

MODIFICATION OF THESE TERMS OF USE

TCI reserves the right to change the terms, conditions, and notices under which the TCI Investment Club services are offered, including but not limited to the charges associated with TCI services. You are responsible for regularly reviewing the Terms and Conditions posted on the website. Your continued use of the TCI Site constitutes your agreement to all such Terms, Conditions, and notices.

Any new Terms and Conditions will supersede any past Terms and Conditions. If any changes are made to the Terms and Conditions they will appear at the front of our website. When the member signs onto the website they will have the opportunity to read any changes to the Terms and Conditions and at that time they may agree or disagree with any changes in the Terms and Conditions. If there is a disagreement, they may e-mail our office for discussion.

PRIVACY AND PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION, MEMBER ACCOUNT, PASSWORD, AND SECURITY

TCI requires you to open an account. You must complete the registration process by providing us with current, complete and accurate information as prompted by the applicable registration form.

Within five (5) days you then will be supplied an Internet (Website) Password and a User name.

You are entirely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and account. Furthermore, you are entirely responsible for any and all activities that occur under your account. You agree to notify TCI immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security. TCI will not be liable for any loss that you may incur as a result of someone else using your password or account, either with or without your knowledge.

However, you could be held liable for losses incurred by TCI or another party due to someone else using your account or password. You may not use anyone else's account at any time, without the permission of the account holder.

PERSONAL AND NON-COMMERCIAL USE LIMITATION

Unless otherwise specified, the TCI Website, TCI E-mail Site and/or Services are for your personal and non-commercial use. You may not modify, copy, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell any information, software, products or services obtained from the TCI Investment Club any of its Sites and/or Services.

NO UNLAWFUL OR PROHIBITED USE

As a condition of your use of the TCI Website, TCI E-mail Site and/or Services, you will not use them for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by the Terms, Conditions, and notices. You may not use the TCI Website, TCI E-mail Site and/or Services, in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair any TCI Website, TCI E-mail Site and/or Services (or the network(s) connected to any TCI Website, TCI E-mail Site and/or Services or interfere with any other party's use and enjoyment of any TCI Website, TCI E-mail Site and/or Services.

You may not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the TCI Website, TCI E-mail Site and/or Services, other accounts, computer systems or networks connected to any TCI Website, TCI E-mail Site and/or Services, through hacking, password mining or any other means. You may not obtain or attempt to obtain any materials or information through any means not intentionally made available through the TCI Website, TCI E-mail Site and/or Services.

USE OF SERVICES

TCI reserves the right to terminate your access to any or all of the Club Services at any time, without notice, for any reason whatsoever.


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