Is LegalShield A Scam Or Real Legal Assistance?
Many are wondering Is LegalShield A Scam because we live in a world where having a lawyer on hand is as commonplace as having a mechanic. You need someone to represent you legally (a lawyer) in matters like purchasing a house, having a trust fund for your kids, or writing a will.
LegalShield sells different legal services to customers through a monthly subscription; this subscription gives them access to a lawyer. Can I make money by selling LegalShield subscriptions? Is LegalShield a legitimate company? How profitable is this opportunity? This brief LegalShield review will hopefully answer the questions you have. You will discover all you need to know about this platform. Once you are done reading, you can tell if this opportunity will profit you.
LegalShield Was Called PrePaid Legal Services
LegalShield is a multi-level marketing company founded in 1972 by Harland Stonecipher as Sportsman’s Motor Club. They sell pre-paid legal services and their network has more than 7,000 independent attorneys. The company also has members (about 1.7 million) across Canada, the US, and the UK.
Stonecipher used to be a life insurance salesman, and he created the company following a car accident. Although it’s not his fault that the accident happened, he was forced into hiring an attorney, and he struggled to pay for his legal expenses.
In 1976, LegalShield was incorporated as Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. It was traded in 1984 on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2011, it became a private company when MidOcean Partners acquired it for $650 million. Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. began doing business as LegalShield on September 10, 2011.
Are Their Products Worth The Price?
LegalShield offers different services such as setting up a power of attorney, preparation of a will, traffic violation defense, consultations, criminal charges resulting from auto accidents, and so on. You can purchase these products individually or as a package deal. The products can easily be tailored to meet customers’ needs, which makes them appealing for the price. Consumers will benefit more from the monthly payment; it saves them the stress of waiting until the service of a lawyer is needed and the cost of hourly consultation ($200).
On Consumer Affairs, LegalShield has a 3-star rating; it appears that people are happy with the service they receive. Some people gave the platform a 1-star rating; they had issues with unsupportive lawyers, and there was a case where a customer did not receive notification for cancellation of the contract. On the BBB (Better Business Bureau), LegalShield has a good rating.
When this post was written, LegalShield had an A+ rating and a 3-star review from customers with 78 reviews. Sadly, none of the complaints listed has been addressed by LegalShield. You would think that a company like LegalShield would be eager to address complaints from unhappy customers.
LegalShield MLM Opportunity
The difference between this MLM opportunity and other MLM platforms is that you are selling services (access to a network of lawyers) to customers instead of products.
Selling a membership to a person grants them access to a network of lawyers with a given set of services. In the application process, there is a section where you will provide a list of people you know who may need pre-paid legal services.
Registration Cost
You will pay $99 for the New Associate start-up kit; this comes with materials, training, back-office, and sponsor support. Also, you may be asked to pay a licensing fee, depending on the state you reside in. Each state has different licensing fees (the licensing requirement in State A may differ from the requirement in State B). If there is a license fee for your state, you will have to pay that license fee yearly. Additional expenses include phone calls, travel expenses, meetings, and so on; there is no reimbursement since they are personal expenses.
Can I Earn With LegalShield?
Since you are selling services and not material products, it will be difficult for people to tell that what you are selling is worth the price. Their prices are reasonable, but you may find it challenging to convince customers that they will benefit from the services you want to sell to them. Unfortunately, many people don’t see a need to purchase pre-paid legal services with a monthly fee because it’s not often you need the representation of a lawyer.
No False Promises Or Hype
Do you know who you could sell LegalShield services to? Ask yourself this question before you join. Don’t forget, you only get paid when people sign up for a whole year. If a person who signs up decides to cancel their contract halfway, the platform will revoke your commissions. There is no base payment; thus, it may take a longer time to sell LegalShield membership to people you know and still not make money from it.
The platform looks nice and appealing. I read documentation where they mentioned that the platform is not a get-rich-quick scheme, and you will have to work very hard to earn. I like the fact they were honest; no false promises and no ridiculous hype. The services they offer also vary depending on the state, and some lawyers are more supportive and resourceful than others.
Is LegalShield Legit?
The opportunity offered by LegalShield is a legit one; this is not a scam. Keep in mind that great customer support as well as good communication with the lawyers is very important to have long-term success here. You will quickly lose customers if great customer service is lacking. You may lose more of your customers if they happen to be your friends or family.
However, as great as having a lawyer
As great as the LegalShield opportunity may sound, the success rate for individuals joining a multi-level marketing company to make a profit with their new-found business is incredibly low. Below are some startling statistics regarding multi-level marketing you need to know.
Why MLM Success Rates Are Abysmal
- 99%: According to the Federal Trade Commission this is the number of all MLM participants who lose money
- You are 38%: more likely to make money with your own small, home-based business than by joining an MLM
- There is a 10% – 20% higher rate of making a profit with an online business than it joining an MLM
- You would have a 300 times higher chance of winning a game of roulette in Las Vegas from 1 single spin of the wheel than you would be making a profit with an MLM
- 47%: The number of participants who flat-out lose money according to the AARP Foundation
- 27%: the percentage of people who make no money whatsoever in an MLM – AARP Foundation
- 26%: The meager amount of people who earn a profit participating in MLMs
- 53%: This is the percentage of MLM participants who earn less than $5000 a year
- 39%: the number of people who QUIT MLMs because of trying to sell services and products to family and friends damaged their relationships
- 50%: Percentage of MLM reps who quit within 1 year after joining
- 95%: The respective number of reps who quit within 10 years
- 75%: The number of people who have participated and left an MLM and state that they would never join another MLM in their life
- 1,049: The number of MLM reps who make less than 70 cents an hour according to a 2018 poll of MLM reps representing various companies
- 20%: of people involved with MLMs never made a sale
- 60%: percentage of people involved with MLM earned less than $500 within the last 5 years of joining
- 32% of people involved with MLM financed their MLM “business” by getting in credit card debt
References
References for the above facts are from the following sources:
- The Case (for and) against Multi-level Marketing By Jon M. Taylor, MBA, Ph.D., Consumer Awareness Institute
- 3 Mind-Blowing Statistics About MLM’s: Due.com
- Multi-level marketing: Wikipedia
- Multilevel Marketing: “The Research, Risks and Rewards”: AARP
Warning: The RED Flags of Schemes and Scams Online
All multi-level marketing is not created equal. There are some evil MLMs out there just waiting to steal your time and hard-earned money. It would be best if you watched out for these red flags when dealing with multi-level marketing companies.
- A FREE Trial Is NOT Offered By the Company
This is a big one to look out for. Many MLMs selling retail products are overpriced and may not have been rigorously tested before entering the marketplace. Moreover, most information products are worthless, and if you could jump directly into those products and “try them out” before investing in them, you would never invest in low-quality substances. That is why they hide behind a payment. If their information is so good, should they not prove it by giving you a taste?
Does LegalShield MLM Opportunity Offer a Free Trial? NO
2. Companies That Don’t Clearly Outline Pricing
If you go to a sales page for a product and they don’t disclose the price clearly, you will likely get “duped.” Any legitimate company will offer clarity on pricing and have a pricing page on their website. MANY companies in this industry HIDE their pricing; it is unethical, and it will almost certainly wind up scamming you. Also, if the company is charging $ 1,000 for their products, it should be of concern.
Does LegalShield MLM Opportunity Outline Clear Pricing? YES
3. MLM Companies That Use Video Sales Pages / Squeeze Pages
If you visit a “sales page” and the only thing you see on it is exaggerated promises of quick money, this will almost certainly be an expensive, overpriced scam. This marketing tactic is used to HIDE pricing and hide the product itself. They typically ask for your email or a small payment, and then you will be put through an extensive and expensive sales funnel.
Does LegalShield MLM Use a Video page for their opportunity? YES
4. Companies That Don’t Have a High TrustPilot Rating
LegalShield has a high Trustpilot rating of 4.6. Trustpilot is where you should get genuine consumer reviews about products/services you plan on buying. If a company doesn’t exist on this website or has a rating lower than 4.5 out of 5 stars, you may want to seriously reconsider joining. There are going to be better programs and services available without the financial risk.
Does LegalShield MLM Have a High TrustPilot Rating? YES
5. Multi-Level Marketing Companies That Sell “Riches” Without Telling You the Process
If you are being pushed by the idea that you are going to be “rich” or that you’ll be able to “make money in a short period” without telling you what you will be doing to earn this money (in a specific way), then they are selling the “sizzle”…and chances are there is no “steak” after you make your purchase. Avoid programs these types of programs like the plague.
Does LegalShield Income opportunity promote a “make money fast” or “get rich quick” mentality? NO
6. Companies Without an Easy Way to Contact Them
If you don’t have a direct way to contact the company to answer questions about their program, they are hiding behind something. That is the first clue, and I recommend you test it. If the company has an email address, email it. If you don’t get a response within 48 hours at most, then that is probably the sort of help you can expect in the future.
Can you easily contact the administrators at LegalShield? YES
7. Companies That Don’t Offer Direct Access/Communication with the Owners
Who owns the product? Can you get help and communicate with them directly? If NOT, then this program is more than likely in the business of taking your money. CEOs in the opportunity world who are unwilling to communicate with their customers directly have a “too good for you” mentality, which should be avoided.
Can you contact the owner of LegalShield directly? NO
8. Companies That Are Just “Information”
If they are providing you with “ideas” about how you could create a business without offering you all the tools, services, and levels of ongoing support that you need to succeed online, you will have a tough time succeeding. Many companies charge you for their information and then tell you that you need to purchase all sorts of stuff actually to use the techniques taught.
Is the LegalShield MLM opportunity just information? NO
My rating of LegalShield is a 5 out of 8. However, LegalShield is still a multi-level marketing platform, and as noted above, 99%, according to the Federal Trade Commission, this is the number of all MLM participants who lose money.
As you can conclude from the above information, multi-level marketing companies are not all what they claim to be. Too often, people put their hope and trust in someone else making money for them instead of learning how to leverage the power of the internet with their own online presence. People look for others to rescue them financially when, in reality, YOU have to come to your financial rescue!
However, there is a BETTER OPTION if you want to create your own online business. There is a platform available that will teach you step by step how to build your own online business, an ethical platform whose primary focus is to help everyday people learn how to make money online, a platform where you can immediately have access to individuals who are highly successful with their online businesses. Introducing Wealthy Affiliate, The Industry Leader in the Online Business Space…
Introducing Wealthy Affiliate, The Industry Leader in the Online Business Space…
- WA Offers a Free Trial
- WA Offers Clear Pricing
- WA Offers a comprehensive website
- WA has a High TrustPilot Rating
- WA is not a get-rich-quick scheme
- WA offers a clear way to contact the company
- You can contact Kyle & Carson directly
- WA offers tools and support
(1) Companies That Don’t Offer a Free Trial.
This is one of the key reasons I want to introduce you to Wealthy Affiliate. You can get a “test drive” to Wealthy Affiliate, but that doesn’t end, and there is NO credit card requirement. This is their Starter membership, including more than any paid product I have seen in this industry. Here are a few things you get with the COMPLETELY FREE Starter membership.
- One Free Profit-Ready Website (Hosting Included)
- Getting Started Training, 10 Full Video Lessons
- 7 Days of Full Mentorship & Expert Help
- Communication Directly with Kyle & Carson (the founders)
- Keyword and Market Research Tools
- The Affiliate Opportunity Platform
- Ability to Network with Millions of Fellow Entrepreneurs
- 100’s of training resources
- And Much More!
(2) Companies That Dont’ Clearly Outline Pricing.
Wealthy Affiliate’s pricing page clearly outlines three available memberships: a Starter membership (FREE), a Premium ($49/month), or a Premium Plus+ ($99/month). There are no upsells, and nothing more complex than this. You are not obligated to upgrade, but if you do decide to, you can run a million-dollar online business utilizing the platform and tools that Wealthy Affiliate offers.
(3) Companies That Use Video Sales Pages / Squeeze Pages.
Wealthy Affiliate offers a comprehensive website where you can learn more about the exact process of building an online business and all of the platforms, technology, and services involved that are offered to you as a member; this includes a thorough outline of WA’s education, hosting, website, domains, community, and success elements.
(4) Companies That Don’t Have a High TrustPilot Rating.
WealthyAffiliate.com has a 4.8 STAR rating on TrustPilot. The owners personally get back to every comment, and this leads to the industry. It is tough to achieve a rating like this in any industry, let alone the make-money-online niche.
(5) Companies That Sell “Riches”.
One thing you will not hear from Wealthy Affiliate in their training or marketing is “get rich quick.” The reality is that to build a business, you first have to build a solid foundation and understand it. Wealthy Affiliate provides you with the tools, training, and platform you need to create a business of any size online (even million-dollar websites). Still, it would be best if you were realistic about the process. It will take some hard work and dedication.
(6) Companies Without an Easy Way to Contact Them.
You can contact Wealthy Affiliate directly from their website without being a member. They have a contact form, and the owners freely share their email addresses if you need to contact them or have any questions. They are kyle@wealthyaffiliate.com and carson@wealthyaffiliate.com. Feel free to reach them directly if you have questions, and of course, as a member, you will have access to them within the community. Which leads me to…
(7) Companies That Don’t Offer Direct Access/Communication with the Owners.
Wealthy Affiliate is the most transparent company in the space and offers you access to Kyle and Carson, the founders, directly within the community. If you want help from them directly, ask. You can even access them for their help and mentorship within the first seven days of the Starter membership…so without paying a dime, you can access both owners directly!
(8) Companies That Are Just “Information”.
Many things are required to build a successful online business, and Wealthy Affiliate includes all of them. To build an online business, you need a website, top-tier hosting, marketing and research tools, ongoing education of the latest marketing strategies, writing tools/platforms, and a way to find the TOP opportunities online. Not to mention support, mentorship, and expertise. These are ALL things that Wealthy Affiliate provides you with any membership level, equipping you to create, grow, and manage a business of any level online.
No other company in the industry offers a free “test drive,” as they likely don’t have the confidence that someone would purchase a trial. WA gives you access to its platforms, websites, hosting, research tools, community, and support within the free membership…so there is ZERO risk, and you can decide if you ever want to purchase a premium membership.
There Is A Better Way To Learn How To Make Money Online
The biggest problem with MLMs like this is that you are at the mercy of the company and its products. And if you don’t get good support from the company, you will never succeed. The minute your team starts quitting, it’s the beginning of the end of whatever success you’ve managed to achieve.
People enjoy the idea of MLMs because they think that all they have to do is sell products. When in reality, it’s usually much more than that. Your first clue is the amount of money you have to invest before you sell your first product. My question to you is Do you REALLY want to make a life-changing income?
A “life-changing” income is an income that allows you to make real choices in your life. You’ll never have to make a decision based on “what’s the cheapest” or “what’s on sale.” You’ll buy what you want, when you want it – and ALL of your bills are PAID in advance!
Money will never be an issue in your life because you’ve learned how to make more money in 1 month than many people make in a year! That’s a truly life-changing income! If you want more information explaining how creating a life-changing income is possible through affiliate marketing, click on the banner below.
Talk Soon,
Howard
