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<ul><li>Schitt’s Creek, one of the funniest, wittiest and heart-warming series in the recent past has received immense love across the globe.</li><li>It also comes with some important <keyword id="11585475" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pr-lessons">PR lessons</keyword>. Schbang's Samiha Joshi - Marketing Intern and Aishwarya Jankar - Communications Executive write about it. </li></ul>Binge-watching television shows on Netflix might not be a waste of time after all... The Canadian show Schitt’s Creek revolves around the wealthy Rose family suddenly becoming bankrupt and having to move to the unattractive town named Schitt’s Creek, their only remaining asset. But the show is so much more than that: it is a <keyword id="255227" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Public-Relations">public relations</keyword> powerhouse, showcasing tips and tricks that every <keyword id="86164" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PR">PR</keyword> professional needs to know about!<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lesson 1: Include influencers in your PR strategies" text="Lesson 1: Include influencers in your PR strategies"><span data-til="noop">Lesson 1: Include influencers in your PR strategies</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />The Rose family's first major win in their new home, <keyword id="3283038" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Schitts-Creek">Schitt's Creek</keyword>, is a commercial with Herb Ertlinger’s Winery. Moira, a former soap opera TV star in Sunrise Bay, was given the role because the winery owner was a big fan of her show. Having a well-liked influencer for your brand could be the right approach because influencer marketing can greatly expand your reach and positioning by leaning into who your target audience values. By partnering with an influencer, your brand can leverage the existing connection an influencer has with your audience. Unlike Moira, however, make sure that your influencer can pronounce your brand name and is a tad bit easier to work with!<br /><br /><br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lesson 2: Take advantage of earned media opportunities" text="Lesson 2: Take advantage of earned media opportunities"><span data-til="noop">Lesson 2: Take advantage of earned media opportunities</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />When Moira is cast for her new movie, The Crows Have Eyes III: The Crowening, she receives early praise from Ornithology Today. The news outlet mentions that the movie redeems “our oft-maligned friend the crow” and is “good fun” to watch. <keyword id="11577913" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="alexis-rose">Alexis Rose</keyword>, Founder and CEO of <keyword id="11585476" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="alexis-rose-communications">Alexis Rose Communications</keyword> (and Moira’s daughter), then, leverages this positive review for promotions and invites other media and TV outlets to the red carpet premiere that creates even greater buzz about Moira’s movie! This earned media opportunity can be transferred to your brand and is important because it can help you reach your target audience without needing to use paid media channels, giving you the beyond-your-budget visibility you always wanted!<br /><br /><br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lesson 3: Know your client well" text="Lesson 3: Know your client well"><span data-til="noop">Lesson 3: Know your client well</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />When Alexis accepts the role of “regional marketing invigorator” for a trendy SoulCycle fitness company named <keyword id="6490642" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="elevation">Elevation</keyword>, little does she know that it actually is an organizational cult. Her public relations role entails recruiting men and women and making them wear muted-toned uniforms for "a total physical and emotional transformation" during the fitness sessions (which should have been a tell-tale sign for Alexis). The lesson is clear here: don’t make the mistake Alexis did! Be sure to ask any potential client a LOT of questions before partnering with them to make sure that they align with your values.<br /><br /><br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lesson 4: All publicity is good publicity" text="Lesson 4: All publicity is good publicity"><span data-til="noop">Lesson 4: All publicity is good publicity</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />One of the greatest obstacles that the Rose family faces while trying to sell their only asset, Schitt’s Creek, is the infamous town sign. The sign, which depicts the town mayor’s ancestors in a rather compromising position, is actually great publicity for the town, attracting tourists from all over the country. All publicity for your brand can be good publicity, bringing much-needed market attention, inviting curiosity that stimulates brand awareness, and kickstarts conversations (whether or not they might be what you intended)!<br /><br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lesson 5: If all else fails, try a big publicity stunt!" text="Lesson 5: If all else fails, try a big publicity stunt!"><span data-til="noop">Lesson 5: If all else fails, try a big publicity stunt!</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />At The Crows Have Eyes III: The Crowening movie premiere, Alexis Rose orchestrates an immersive (crazy?) PR experience by releasing actual crows into the sky. Though the stunt doesn’t go as planned, the videos go viral online and receive a lot of media coverage. Alexis also resolves a PR nightmare by mentioning that “not a single crow was harmed and as for humans, nothing but a little wounded pride and one severed earlobe.” Designed to attract public attention, a big publicity stunt might just be that big game changer for your brand to earn positive press coverage!<br /><br /><br /><br />As you navigate the complexities that come with public relations, don’t forget to sit back and watch Schitt’s Creek – a show with PR insights that will last a lifetime!<br />

From Clients to Coverage: Decoding Public Relations with Schitt’s Creek

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="10394886" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="alexis-sharkey">Alexis Sharkey</keyword>, the Houston influencer found dead at just 26, sold products for Monat, a hair and skin care line that uses <keyword id="1424675" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="multilevel-marketing">multilevel marketing</keyword> (<keyword id="519168" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="MLM">MLM</keyword>). </li><li>Monat was investigated by Florida's attorney general after hundreds of claims that its products caused a host of hair and skin issues. The company was "permanently barred" from using "false or misleading statements in its marketing and sale of its <keyword id="6354629" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="beauty">beauty</keyword> products."</li><li>Sharkey, whose death is being investigated by Houston police, "loved" working with Monat, her mother told Insider. </li></ul><p>Before <a href="https://www.insider.com/houston-instagram-influencer-found-dead-alexis-robinault-sharkey-road-naked-2020-12">Alexis Sharkey</a> was found dead on the side of the road in Houston on November 28, the 26-year-old had been growing a business as a budding <keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> personality. </p><p>Stacey Robinault, Sharkey's mother, told Insider in an interview that Sharkey had a gift for making anyone "feel good," and that she was great at her job.</p><p>Sharkey, whose legal name is Alexis Robinault, was a "mentor" with the haircare and wellness brand Monat, a global company that markets its products with direct-to-consumer salespeople, otherwise known as multi-level marketing (MLM). MLM practices have been widely criticized for being predatory in its recruitment and the <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0065-multi-level-marketing-businesses-and-pyramid-schemes#:~:text=Some%20MLMs%20are%20illegal%20pyramid,typically%20lose%20everything%20they%20invest.">Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned</a> that "most people who join legitimate MLMs make little or no money."</p><p>Monat, which is known for offering glamorous vacations and prizes to its top sellers, has also been investigated by Florida's attorney general after hundreds of customers claimed its products caused hair loss and other symptoms. The investigation ended when the company agreed to a five-year plan of communication with the office and it was "permanently barred" from using "false or misleading statements in its marketing and sale of its beauty products."</p><p>Sharkey recruited other Monat salespeople through Instagram, where she had roughly 20,000 followers at the time of her death. After the <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> of the 26-year-old's death, the circumstances of which are still being investigated by Houston police, Sharkey now has 69,000 followers. </p><p>A Monat spokesperson told Insider in a statement, "Alexis Sharkey was a warm, wonderful, and beloved, independent MONAT market partner. We are saddened by her tragic death and our thoughts are with her family and friends who loved her." </p><p>The spokesperson said that Monat has more than 2 million customers and 400,000 independent contractors "who sell the most safe and effective premium hair care, skin care and wellness products." </p><h2>Alexis Sharkey 'loved' selling Monat products, her mother said </h2><p>Sharkey began working with Monat in the middle of 2018, according to her Instagram posts. In one caption from June 2019, Sharkey wrote that her Monat business "has forever changed how I think and my life." </p><p>Robinault told Insider that Sharkey "thoroughly researched" Monat before deciding to sell the company's products. Sharkey thought Monat had "excellent" products. "And so she went through the process of educating herself on how to market and how to grow and how to build a business," Robinault said. </p><p>But Robinault said she was surprised when her daughter began working with Monat in 2018.<strong> </strong>Back in high school, Sharkey hated the fundraising activities required for sports teams and made her little sister sell products for her instead, Robinault recalled. </p><p>"The mere fact that my daughter's livelihood comes from selling and, you know, marketing this product line, it just boggles my mind because that was never, ever anything I would've seen her do. And she did it so well and she's just into it," Robinault told Insider. </p><p>In college, Sharkey studied biology and considered applying to medical school. After graduating, she moved from her small Pennsylvania town to the south, where she worked at a bar and "bounced around" in different cities before moving to Houston with her husband, Tom Sharkey, in January. </p><p>"She went down a totally different road, and she's happy with it, and if she was happy with her life, I was happy for her," Robinault said, adding that Sharkey was "very good" at selling Monat products, "and she loved it." </p><p>"I think that she was building it enough that she was going to build herself this business to sustain her life," she said. </p><p>Robinault said she believes her daughter was murdered. The <a href="https://www.insider.com/houston-influencer-alexis-sharkey-dead-body-speaks-out-worker-found-2020-12">circumstances of Sharkey's death</a> remain unclear, as investigators await the results of a final autopsy. She was found naked and without signs of visible injuries, Houston police said. </p><h2><strong>Monat functions as a cosmetics company that uses typical multi-level marketing practices</strong></h2><p>Monat was founded by the Urdaneta family in 2014, first selling hair products and later expanding to include skincare products. "MONAT starts with changing your hair and eventually changes your life. We offer a generous compensation plan, an exceptionally nurturing support system, and caring, committed leaders who treat you like family," the company's website says. </p><p>On its website, Monat describes its business model as "direct sales/social marketing" and says that the company "bypasses traditional retail channels in favor of a person-to-person focus."</p><p>Arbonne and Mary Kay are among the top brands that use MLM. </p><p>People who sell Monat products call themselves "mentors," as Sharkey's Instagram profile shows, but the company appears to refer to them as "Market Partners" on its website. These salespeople recruit more salespeople, mostly through social media, and help them start their own businesses by selling Monat products. </p><p>MLM companies such as Monat often reward top salespeople with luxury vacations and other glamorous gifts, including cars. Many MLM's are criticized for selling salespeople on top success stories and rewards that aren't realistically attainable for most salespeople.  In November 2019, Sharkey posted pictures on Instagram from Monat's "Passport" celebration in Cancun. "I must say, it's nice working with a company that goes out of their way to make sure you feel loved and spoiled to death on the first night of your all paid vacation," she wrote in the post's caption. </p><p>"Off to company training," Sharkey wrote in another post. </p><p>Though the glamorous and vibrant view of MLM companies offered by social media may encourage others to join the fold, many people brought into MLM models have darker experiences. </p><p>With companies that use MLM practices, it's not only new customers that salespeople are recruiting, but also new salespeople themselves. One Instagram post from Sharkey in September 2019 urged her followers to stop making "excuses" for why they didn't have time to sell Monat products as a side hustle, and invited them to join a conference call to learn more. </p><p>A 2011 <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/public_comments/trade-regulation-rule-disclosure-requirements-and-prohibitions-concerning-business-opportunities-ftc.r511993-00017%C2%A0/00017-57317.pdf">report</a> by Jon M. Taylor, the president of the Consumer Awareness Institute, an indepedent consumer-advocacy and research group, highlights these concerns.  </p><p>"Built on an endless chain of recruitment, MLM is inherently flawed, deceptive, and profitable only for founders and those at or near the top of a pyramid of participants, usually those at the beginning of the chain of recruitment," Taylor writes in the report, which was shared on the FTC's website. "MLM is also extremely viral and predatory." </p><p>Many MLMs like Monat have been using those tactics to recruit newly unemployed Americans during the pandemic, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mlms-coronavirus-layoffs-monat-mary-kay-younique-recruit-social-media-2020-4">Business Insider reported in April.</a> </p><p>"The companies are so desperate to get people to join now, so they've really amped up their recruitment," Emma Rose, a former network-sales distributor who now hosts <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-anti-mlm-podcast/id1500761911">"The Anti-MLM Podcast,"</a> previously told Business Insider's Paige Leskin in the spring. "They're counting on the fact people are scared and looking for something to help them. They're all selling promises."</p><p>MLM brands often position salespeople to appear financially successful with glamorous social-media posts, but that the actual details of the money-making in selling the products is more complicated, as Business Insider has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mlms-use-social-media-facebook-portray-financial-success-2019-7">reported.</a> "MLM makes even gambling look like a safe bet in comparison," Taylor's Consumer Awareness Institute report says. </p><p><a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0065-multi-level-marketing-businesses-and-pyramid-schemes#:~:text=Some%20MLMs%20are%20illegal%20pyramid,typically%20lose%20everything%20they%20invest.">According to the FTC</a>, some businesses that appear as functional brands that use MLMs end up actually being "pyramid schemes," which make money by recruiting new salespeople, rather than selling products. </p><p>But even with legitimate MLM businesses, the FTC warns that most salespeople "make little to no money," some lose money, and some end up in debt. A <a href="https://qz.com/1039331/mlms-like-avon-and-lularoe-are-sending-people-into-debt-and-psychological-crisis/">2017 Quartz article</a> examined how many people recruited into MLMs have face psychological problems and debt.</p><h2><strong>Complaints about Monat products causing hair loss and other issues led to an investigation in Florida</strong></h2><p>At press time, there have been 859 complaints filed against Monat to the Better Business Bureau, a nonprofit organization that is considered the authority on business standards in the US. Monat is not accredited by the agency and representative for the Better Business Bureau did not immediately respond to a request for comment. </p><p>Many of those Better Business Bureau complaints came from customers who reported experiencing hair loss, itching, and skin lesions, after using Monat hair care products. Several YouTube videos also allege similar issues associated with Monat. </p><p>In 2018, <a href="http://ktnv.com/news/national/women-claim-monat-hair-products-cause-balding-scalp-sores-1">KTNV 13, a news outlet in Las Vegas, reported</a> that Monat products had allegedly led to hair loss and scalp sores. The outlet later reported that the attorney general in Florida, where Monat is headquartered, was investigating the company. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody's office was made aware of at least 800 such complaints, <a href="https://www.ktnv.com/13-investigates/attorney-general-cracks-down-on-monat-hair-care-claims-in-wake-of-13-investigation">KTNV 13 reported</a>. </p><p>Moody's office resolved the investigation by signing an <a href="http://www.myfloridalegal.com/EC_Edoc.nsf/0/3D7B7AEF1647AAC8852585C90058D975/$file/L18-3-1232+AVC+Monat+Global.pdf">agreement</a> with Monat this August that "permanently barred" the company "from making false or misleading statements in its marketing and sale of its beauty products, including with respect to its discount offers, and from making unsubstantiated claims regarding the supposed health benefits, safety, performance or efficacy of its products." </p><p>In the agreement, Monat maintained that the company had "clinical studies that demonstrate (product) safety and efficacy" and that it acted "reasonably and in good faith and conducted business fairly and honestly." The company also began to refund complainants, totaling roughly $82,000, according to the agreement. </p><p>For the next five years, Monat will have to follow a set of guidelines agreed upon in the assurance of voluntary compliance document. As part of the agreement, Monat is required to give the attorney general's office access to offices, warehouses, retail locations, and other company facilities. The terms of the agreement also include that the attorney general's office can "inspect and copy all documents relevant to any matter" addressed in the agreement. </p><p>The Monat spokesperson told Insider that the company has spent over $1 million on product-testing. "We continue to engage third-party scientific testing laboratories to validate the safety and effectiveness of our products," the spokesperson said. "In each case the findings are conclusive - our products are safe and effective for their intended purpose."</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/houston-instagram-influencer-found-dead-alexis-robinault-sharkey-road-naked-2020-12">A Houston Instagram influencer was found dead and naked on the side of the road. Her mother believes she was murdered.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/houston-influencer-alexis-sharkey-dead-body-speaks-out-worker-found-2020-12">The sanitation worker who found the dead body of a Houston influencer described the moment he discovered her</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mlms-coronavirus-layoffs-monat-mary-kay-younique-recruit-social-media-2020-4">'Predatory' companies like Monat and Mary Kay are using memes and coronavirus anxiety to target millions of newly unemployed Americans</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mlms-use-social-media-facebook-portray-financial-success-2019-7">People who sell for multilevel marketing companies look wildly successful on Facebook, but the reality is much more complicated</a></li></ul>

The Houston influencer found dead on the side of the road worked at a controversial hair care MLM

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The real-life Neffatari "Neff" Davis spoke out about her friendship with <keyword id="12215463" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="anna-sorokin" source="Orion">Anna Sorokin</keyword>.</li><li>"I have to set boundaries. Sometimes I won't answer the phone," Davis told Vulture. </li></ul><p>The real-life Neffatari "Neff" Davis opened up about her friendship with convicted scammer Anna Sorokin in a new <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/inventing-anna-neff-character-true-story.html">interview with Vulture</a>. </p><p>"It's almost like a seesaw. I have to set boundaries. Sometimes I won't answer the phone because I had to let her know I have my freedom," Davis <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/inventing-anna-neff-character-true-story.html">said</a> of her friendship with Sorokin.</p><p>"I'm not going to be able to answer every single phone call from jail. But if you need some panties or some coconut milk for Thanksgiving, I'll send it," Davis added. </p><p>According to the filmmaker, she had to "set boundaries" with Sorokin during Sorokin's 2019 trial, since the fake heiress, born in Russia, "started losing her mind a little bit when it came to being famous in jail and by herself without family here in America." </p><p>Now that Davis lives in Los Angeles, and Sorokin remains in ICE custody in Orange County, New York, Davis said their communication style has changed.</p><p>"We speak as much as we can, which is like once a month right now. I spoke to her yesterday, actually," Davis told Vulture. "It's like, if I'm bored, I'll pick up." </p><div type="image" title="Anna Sorokin delvey trial" height="3486" width="4647" msid="89842394" hostid="261"></div><p>"I try to give her some type of stamina to keep going because she literally has no one out here in America," the filmmaker added. </p><p>Both Davis and Sorokin are portrayed in the new <keyword id="11995416" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="shonda-rhimes" source="Orion">Shonda Rhimes</keyword> show "<keyword id="12387923" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="inventing-anna" source="Orion">Inventing Anna</keyword>," currently streaming on <keyword id="11892922" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword>. Davis is played by Alexis Floyd, and "Ozark" star Julia Garner portrays Sorokin. </p><p>Also featured on the Netflix show is Sorokin's former friend Rachel Williams, played by Katie Lowes. The real-life Williams, who previously worked at Vanity Fair, recently <a href="https://www.insider.com/anna-sorokin-inventing-anna-netflix-rachel-williams-2022-2">condemned "Inventing Anna"</a> for "glorifying" a "sociopathic" criminal. Sorokin later <a href="https://www.insider.com/anna-sorokin-rachel-williams-netflix-shonda-rhimes-show-comments-2022-2">responded on Instagram</a> in a lengthy statement, accusing Williams of "shamelessly" exploiting their former friendship.</p><p>Sorokin first rose to fame in 2018, after articles were published by <a href="https://www.thecut.com/2018/05/how-anna-delvey-tricked-new-york.html">New York Magazine</a>, <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/04/my-misadventure-with-the-magician-of-manhattan">Vanity Fair</a>, and <a href="https://nypost.com/2017/07/31/wannabe-socialite-busted-for-skipping-out-on-pricey-hotel-bills/">the New York Post</a> about her attempts to con financial institutions out of money by pretending to be a wealthy German heiress.</p><p>A jury <a href="https://www.insider.com/anna-delvey-sorokin-fake-heiress-sentenced-prison-2019-5">convicted Sorokin on charges</a> of theft, larceny, and attempted theft and larceny in May 2019, though <a href="https://www.insider.com/whats-true-inventing-anna-delvey-sorokin-differences-netflix-show-reality-2022-2#sorokin-left-rachel-williams-with-the-bill-for-that-morocco-trip-11">the jury acquitted Sorokin</a> of the prosecutors' charge alleging she stole from Williams.</p><p>The so-called "SoHo scammer" was <a href="https://www.insider.com/anna-sorokin-delvey-released-from-prison-2021-2">released from a New York jail in February 2021</a> after serving about three-and-a-half years in prison. Sorokin is <a href="https://www.insider.com/inventing-anna-netflix-where-is-real-anna-delvey-sorokin-jail-2022-2">now in ICE custody due to immigration issues.</a> She shared her thoughts about the Netflix show as well as her experience behind bars in a <a href="https://www.insider.com/anna-delvey-writes-about-inventing-anna-and-life-in-jail-2022-2">recent essay for Insider</a>.</p><p>"Inventing Anna" is available to stream now on Netflix.</p>

Anna Sorokin's real-life friend Neff Davis says she still picks up the fake heiress' phone calls if she's 'bored' but was forced to 'set boundaries'

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Good morning! Here are the 10 most pressing things you need to know in markets today.</p><p><strong>European PMIs are coming. </strong>Between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. London time (3 a.m. and 4 a.m. ET) European purchasing managers index (PMI) scores will be rolling out for the services sector in March, giving an idea of the economy's strength. Economists are expecting a score of 54.3, well above the neutral 50 level and February's 53.9.</p><p><strong>Greek PM Alexis Tsipras is visiting Moscow today. </strong>Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is heading to Moscow Tuesday for a state visit - <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/alexis-tsipras-meeting-putin-greece-opposed-to-sanctions-2015-4#ixzz3WbD5Bp5O">the highlight of which will be a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday</a>.</p><p><strong>And Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis insists Greece will make its IMF payment. </strong>Varoufakis said on Sunday Greece "intends to meet all obligations to all its creditors, ad infinitum" following a meeting in Washington with International Monetary Fund officials. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/r-finance-minister-varoufakis-says-greece-plans-to-meet-all-obligations-2015-4#ixzz3WbDOQ5KT">Greece has a major payment due on Thursday, and last week another minister had suggested that the country would not pay on time</a>.</p><p><strong>The US economy's service sector posted rapid growth for March. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/markit-services-pmi-april-6w-2015-4#ixzz3WbDhvXNd">In March, Markit's service sector PMI reading rose to 59.2. beating expectations. Expectations were for the reading to come in at 58.6</a>. This reading signaled the fastest pace of expansion in service sector output since August 2014. Any reading over 50 indicates expansion.</p><p><strong>HTC made $11.6 billion in profit in the first quarter. </strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-htc-corp-first-quarter-unaudtied-net-profit-116-million-2015-4#ixzz3WbDy7EWZ">HTC Corp posted an unaudited net profit of 360 million Taiwanese dollars ($11.6 million) for the first quarter of this year, the mobile communications maker said on Tuesday</a>. Revenue on an unaudited basis was 41.52 billion Taiwanese dollars in the first three months of this year.</p><p><strong>The Reserve Bank of Australia didn't cut rates. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/rba-leaves-official-interest-rate-in-hold-2015-4#ixzz3WbEfu5tZ">The RBA has left the official cash rate on hold at 2.25%</a>. The central bank of Australia left its easing bias in the final paragraph of its statement, repeating that further "easing of policy may be appropriate over the period ahead, in order to foster sustainable growth in demand". </p><p><strong>Poland is building watchtowers along its border with Russia. </strong>Poland has decided to beef up its security systems along its border with Russia, Newsweek reports citing the Polish press. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/poland-placing-watchtowers-on-russian-border-2015-4#ixzz3WbF3eGz">Warsaw has proposed a project that would construct a series of six 24-hour surveillance watch towers along Poland's border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, spaced along the entirety of the 124 mile-long border between the two nations</a>. </p><p><strong>Asian markets are up.</strong> Japan's Nikkei is currently up 1.16%, and the Shanghai Composite Index is 1.83% higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng opens again tomorrow following holidays.</p><p><strong>FedEx is snapping up TNT Express. </strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-fedex-to-buy-tnt-express-for-4.4-bn-euros-2015-4">US delivery service FedEx has reached a deal to buy Dutch rival TNT Express for €4.4 billion ($4.8 billion)</a>, a joint statement said on Tuesday.</p><p><strong>Samsung Electronics expects first quarter profits to tumble. </strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-samsung-electronics-flags-30.5-percent-on-year-drop-in-q1-profit-2015-4">Samsung Electronics on Tuesday flagged a 30.5% on-year fall in operating profit for the first quarter, as the world's top mobile producer continued to battle stiff competition from Chinese makers and arch rival Apple</a>. The South Korea tech giant estimated an operating profit of around 5.9 trillion won ($5.4 billion) for the January-March period.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-do-a-pull-up-fitness-2015-2">You've been doing pull-ups all wrong</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="h4MTA5czqVVK6yd1eXtADlv7g4Wi1Aum" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

10 things you need to know before European markets open

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Stocks rebounded after the most brutal day of the year on Monday and finished Tuesday's session slightly higher. The S&amp;P 500 is back in the green for the year, although the Dow did not recover its year-to-date losses as markets closed out the second quarter and first half of the year.</p><p>First, the scoreboard:</p><ul><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>Dow:</strong> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">17,619.51, +23.16, (0.13%)</span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>S&amp;P 500:</strong> </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">2,063.11, +5.47, (0.27%)</span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>Nasdaq:</strong> </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">4,986.87, +28.40, (0.57%)</span></li></ul><p><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">And now, the top stories on Tuesday:</span></p><ol><li>Greece has asked for a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/report-greece-has-proposed-a-2-year-deal-2015-6">new two-year bailout</a>. At midnight in Athens, it will miss a  €1.6 billion ($1.79 billion) payment to the International Monetary Fund. The <a href="http://g8fip1kplyr33r3krz5b97d1.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/PDF-tsipras.pdf">bailout</a> from the European Stability Mechanism is being requested to help meet all of Greece's internal and external debt payments. Someone in London is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/london-thom-feeney-raising-greek-bailout-funds-on-crowdfunding-site-indiegogo-2015-6">raising money</a> on crowdfunding site Indiegogo, and <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/greek-bailout-fund#/story">the page</a> crashed due to "astonishing popularity."</li><li>German chancellor Angela Merkel said there will be <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/merkel-says-no-new-talks-before-greek-referendum-2015-6">no new bailout talks</a> until after the July 5 referendum in Greece. Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras called for the special vote last Friday so citizens can choose whether to accept the terms presented by creditors for a bailout extension. Meanwhile, Greek banks and stock markets remain closed as part of capital controls.</li><li>In economic data, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/conference-board-consumer-confidence-index-june-2015-6">consumer confidence</a> surged to 101.4 in June, crushing the forecast for 97.4, and up from 95.4 last month. In the release, the Conference Board's Lynn Franco said: "Over the past two months, consumers have grown more confident about the current state of business and employment conditions. In addition, they are now more optimistic about the near-term future, although sentiment regarding income prospects is little changed."</li><li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">T</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">he <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/spcase-shiller-home-price-index-april-2015-6">Case-Shiller home price index</a> rose less than expected in April. </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">Prices rose 0.3% month-over-month (0.8% expected) and 4.9% year-over-year (5.5% expected.) <span>"Home prices continue to rise across the country, but the pace is not accelerating," said<span> S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices' David Blitzer in the release.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chicago-pmi-june-2015-6">Chicago Purchasing Manager Index</a> climbed to 49.4 in June from 46.2 last month, missing expectations, and signaling a contraction in Midwest manufacturing activity for a fourth straight month. "</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">The Barometer hit a 5½ year low in Q2 and the weakness is having a detrimental impact on the level of hiring," said </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">Philip Uglow, chief economist of MNI Indicators, in the release.</span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">Fitbit shares soared more than 13% after <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/rbc-capital-markets-initiates-coverage-of-fitbit-2015-6">RBC Capital Markets initiated coverage</a> of the company with an "Outperform" rating. In a note Tuesday, the analysts said the maker of fitness trackers is quickly growing its share of the wearables market, and its products are seeing stronger demand from consumers than the Apple Watch. "<span>A broadening ecosystem, international, and corporate wellness growth may enable Fitbit to reach ~$2.3B in revs. in CY17E, a +45 percent [compound annual growth rate]," they wrote. The stock rose to as high as $38 per share; RBC analysts have a $45 price target.</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #222222;">US <a href="http://www.dealogic.com/media/market-insights/ma-statshot/#MA063015">mergers and acquisition</a> (M&amp;A) volumes crossed $1 trillion in the first half of the year, and marked the first time any country has done so, according to Dealogic. In all, targeted M&amp;A totaled $1.03 trillion. May was the strongest month, due to Charter Communications' $79.6 billion bid for Time Warner Cable announced late in the month. </span></li></ol><p><strong><span style="color: #222222;">DON'T MISS: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/peter-tchir-market-outlook-june-30-2015-6">STRATEGIST: 'I find it impossible to look at these moves and want to take significant risk' »</a></span></strong></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-omega-globemaster-watch-unboxing-2015-5">Forget the Apple Watch - here's the new watch everyone on Wall Street wants</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="5iaDNwdDrYYMm2yipFb14ndbRkPnemqO" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

STOCKS RISE: Here's what you need to know

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Before the market opens on Tuesday, here is what you need to know. </p><p><strong>Time is running out on Greece. </strong>An EU source has suggested <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/greek-pm-tsipras-a-deal-will-be-done-within-48-hours-2015-6">Greece's prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, told euro zone leaders he expects a deal will be done "within 48 hours."</a> IMF head Christine Lagarde didn't sound as optimistic, saying, there is still an "enormous" amount of work that needs to be done. The debt-ridden country must make a 1.5 billion euro ($1.7 billion)payment to the IMF on June 30. Greece's 2-year yield is at a one-month low, down 235 basis points at 20.95%.</p><p><strong>The ECB has upped its emergency funding for Greek banks. </strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-ecb-again-boosts-emergency-liquidity-for-greek-banks-bank-source-2015-6">The European Central Bank raised its Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) to Greece for the fourth time in a week</a>, but the amount of money provided is unknown. The assistance comes as Greeks continue to pull their money from the banking system as fears of capital controls mount. Greece needs to reach a deal with its creditors in order to free up 7.2 billion euros ($8.2 billion) to make its upcoming debt payments.</p><p><strong>Euro zone PMI hit a 4-year high. </strong>Manufacturing and services readings from across the euro zone outpaced estimates. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/france-is-back-in-business-2015-6?r=UK">Notable was the particularly strong data from France</a>, which saw the manufacturing sector return to expansion for the first time since April 2014. The euro is down 1.1% at 1.1217.</p><p><strong>China's HSBC Manufacturing PMI improved. </strong>The survey of Chinese manufacturing showed improvement, but <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-manufacturing-sector-continued-to-deteriorate-in-june-2015-6">the sector remained in contraction</a>. The June reading ticked up to 49.6 from 49.2 in May, outpacing the 49.4 that was anticipated. N<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">ew orders, purchase quantities, stock purchases and order backlogs all showed improvement. China's yuan strengthened fractionally to 6.2067 per dollar.</span></p><p><strong>BlackBerry missed on the top and bottom lines. </strong>The wireless communications provider announced an adjusted loss of $0.05 per share, which was shy of the $0.04 loss analysts were anticipating. Revenue tumbled 31.9% year-over-year to $658 million, missing the $679.6 million that was expected. The company expects to see positive cash flow this year.</p><p><strong>Darden Restaurants topped estimates. </strong>The restaurant operator announced adjusted earnings of $1.08 per share, easily beating the $0.93 that Wall Street was expecting. Revenue rose 13.8% to $1.88 billion, slightly outpacing the $1.87 billion that analysts were anticipating. The closely followed same store sales metric rose 3.8% versus expectations of an increase of just shy of 3%. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/darden-to-split-into-two-public-companies-2015-6">Darden announced it will separate its REIT into a publicly traded company</a>.</p><p><strong>Alibaba is investing a ton of money in China's services sector. </strong>The online marketplace and its affiliate, Ant Financial, announced they will <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-alibaba-ant-to-pour-nearly-1-billion-into-local-services-startup-2015-6#ixzz3drTbZGFS">invest nearly $1 billion in local services</a>. The venture will focus on food delivery to start, and expand to other areas of the service sector. According to the release, users will gain access to the services through <span>Alibaba's Mobile Taobao app and </span>Ant Financial's Alipay Wallet app.</p><p><strong>Wal-Mart has pulled Confederate flags off its shelves. </strong>The world's largest retailer made the decision to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-will-no-longer-sell-confederate-flag-merchandise-2015-6">stop selling Confederate flags</a> after last week's shooting at a Charleston, South Carolina church. "We never want to offend anyone with the products that we offer. We have taken steps to remove all items promoting the confederate flag from our assortment -- whether in our stores or on our web site," Wal-Mart spokesman Brian Nick told CNN in a statement.</p><p><strong>Stock markets around the world are higher. </strong>France's CAC (+1.3%) leads European markets higher after China's Shanghai Composite (+2.2%) erased an early decline of more than 4% to pace the gains in Asia. S&amp;P 500 futures are up 3.25 points at 2116.00.</p><p><strong>US economic data picks up. </strong>Durable orders will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET and will be followed by FHFA Housing Price Index at 9 a.m. ET and new home sales at 10 a.m. ET. Treasury will auction $26 billion 2-year notes at 1 p.m. ET. The US 10-year yield is unchanged at 2.37%.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-lebron-james-spends-money-nba-salary-2015-4">How LeBron James spends his money</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="A1Y2VudDqRdoRbXU6D5a41TZ_JCLE1oQ" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

10 things you need to know before the opening bell

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Good morning! Here are 10 things you should know in markets today.</p><p><strong>Russia will participate in Ukraine's gas talks. </strong>Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday that he would take part in talks over gas supplies to Ukraine in Brussels on March 2. "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-russian-energy-minister-says-to-attend-ukraine-gas-talks-in-brussels-2015-2#ixzz3SvPtfxNN">We have been invited to three-way talks and have confirmed our participation. First of all we're going to talk about the situation with current supplies to Ukraine and gas transit to European consumers,</a>" Novak told reporters.</p><p><strong>Nissan says it can take a tenth of the US market without new factories. </strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-nissan-can-meet-us-sales-goal-with-capacity-in-south-korea-japan-2015-2#ixzz3SvQB8CND">Nissan will be able to meet its goal of taking 10% of the US market in two years without any major new investments</a> and by making use of capacity available at factories in Japan and South Korea, a top executive said on Friday.</p><p><strong>The US is in deflation territory. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/markets-chart-of-the-day-february-26-2015-2#ixzz3SvQV229S">The consumer price index showed that prices fell 0.1% in January compared to last year, in negative territory or the first time since October 2009</a>. On a "core" basis, which strips out the more volatile costs of food and gas, prices actually rose 1.6% over last year, the same annual change seen in December.</p><p><strong>The US and Cuba are having another round of talks. </strong>Cuban and US officials meet in Washington on Friday for a second round of talks aimed at restoring diplomatic relations, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-us-cuba-to-meet-for-second-round-of-normalization-talks-2015-2#ixzz3SvQogU9V">amid friction over Cuba's place on a US list of state sponsors of terrorism</a>. </p><p><strong>German and Italian inflation figures are coming. </strong>They're the first estimates of February's inflation in the big eurozone economies, and they're coming at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. GMT (5 a.m. and 8 a.m. ET) respectively. Economists are expecting less deflation this month in both countries, as the effect of plunging oil prices recedes. </p><p><strong>Left-wing Greeks are already protesting against the new government. </strong>Dozens of black-clad protesters clashed with riot police in central Athens on Thursday, smashing shop windows and throwing petrol bombs after an anti-government march, the first since the leftist Syriza party took power a month ago. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-greek-protesters-clash-with-police-in-first-backlash-against-syriza-2015-2#ixzz3SvRzbR3g">Around 450 far-left protesters took to the streets of Athens against the newly elected left-right coalition government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, which agreed a deal with EU partners last week to extend an aid program to Athens</a>.</p><p><strong>Asian markets are up. </strong>The Nikkei closed 0.06% higher in Japan, Hong Kong's Hang Seng is currently up 0.24% and the Shanghai Composite is up 0.18% just ahead of the close.</p><p><strong>Russia is continuing the "creeping annexation" of Georgia. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/r-georgia-says-russia-bent-on-creeping-annexation-of-breakaway-regions-2015-2#ixzz3SvTecZPJ">Russia is moving ahead with the "creeping annexation" of two breakaway Georgian regions as part of an aggressive strategy to broaden its influence in the region, Georgia's foreign minister said on Thursday</a>. In talks with EU and NATO officials in Brussels this week, Tamar Beruchashvili said she had underlined Georgia's concern about agreements Moscow has signed deepening integration with the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.</p><p><strong>The Bank of England is curtailing the informal meetings it previously had with big market players. </strong>Dubbed "fireside chats", the <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d6fff9f4-bddc-11e4-9d09-00144feab7de.html#axzz3SvTu5wF6">informal conversations with major financiers are being replaced by a more transparent and communication policy, according to the Bank of England and reported in the FT</a>. The Bank came under scrutiny over its relationship with banks hit by the forex-rigging scandal.</p><p><strong>Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba may float its financial services arm. </strong>Ant Financial Services Group, Alibaba's affiliate which runs online payment platform Alipay, is seeking to raise up to $4 billion (£2.59 billion) in a private placement of shares <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-alibabas-online-payment-firm-ant-financial-eyes-2017-ipo-state-media-2015-2#ixzz3SvVOVJRU">and is looking at a domestic IPO in 2017, the state-run Shanghai Securities News reported</a>.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/largest-ice-glacier-calving-filmed-2015-1">This Video Of The Largest Breakage Of Ice From A Glacier Ever Filmed Is Absolutely Frightening</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="NqbHJucjpzcqR3obKs3FqeMQRi8yolxr" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun</span></p><p class="caption">A fisherman prepares his fishing net in Myanmar</p></div><p></p></div><em><strong>FA Insights is a daily newsletter from Business Insider that delivers the top news and commentary for financial advisors.</strong></em></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://blogs.cfainstitute.org/insideinvesting/2014/01/28/current-investment-traps/">Investment Traps That Even The Smartest People Fall Into</a> (CFA Institute) </strong></p>
<p>Even the smartest investors often fall into investment traps writes Michael Lipper at the CFA Institute. Here are some of the current investment traps he sees.</p>
<p>1. Value - "There are two traps here. The first is that we can mathematically determine the exact true value of something, including securities. The second is not being concerned with the seller's motivations."<br />2. Successful young investors - "Many of today's enthusiastic investors have only had the experience of the decline and recovery phases of the last five and ten years. …Enjoy them, perhaps participate, but don't count on today's gainers getting you out ahead of time of their collapse; it will be new to them. In other words, it could be a trap." <br />3. The book value trap - Many look at this as a measure of investment value. "People tend to forget that the book value they were taught in college or graduate school… is a teaching device, not a measure of reality." Tied into this is the tendency to overlook human factors.<br />4. Predictability of the VIX - This is often used as a gauge of fear and current levels show there isn't a "great deal of price pessimism." But a contrarian take would be that "this is exactly when a negative surprise could be its most potent.<br />5. Failure of stock investors to consider bonds - Bond prices tend to be more sensitive to potential bad news than the stock market. "As a stock investor, I am aware that bond prices can be a useful warning device for me… The current preponderance of downgrades in an economy that is meant to be recovering is a cause for one to be cautious about committing new money to the stock market."</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20140129/FREE/140129882">Advisors Aren't Making Enough Use Of ETFs</a> (Investment News) </strong></p>
<p>Advisors invest a very small part of their clients assets in ETFs, according to a survey by S&amp;P Capital IQ at the ETF Virtual Summit. 50% of respondents said the invested less than 20% of clients' assets in ETFs. 12% said they invested 60% of clients' assets or more, reports Carl O'Donnell at Investment News. This is partly because advisors don't know a lot and only stick to offerings from well established names like Vanguard. </p>
<p>"The survey was not statistically significant, with a sample size of only 150, but Mr. Rosenbluth pointed out that it was taken at the ETF Virtual Summit, which most likely was attended by advisers who were more involved in ETF investing than the average," O'Donnell reports.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-29/pimco-names-four-more-deputy-cios-after-el-erian-quits.html">PIMCO Names Four Deputy CIOs</a> (Bloomberg)</strong></p>
<p>PIMCO, the world's largest bond manager, has named four deputy chief investment officers. The four new deputy CIOs are 1. Mark Kiesel, global head of the corporate bond management group; 2. Virginie Maisonneuve, global head of equities; 3. Scott Mather, head of global fund management; 4. Mihir Worah, head of the real return group. This comes after Mohamed El-Erian announced his exit from PIMCO.  "Going forward there will be more focus on strategy and markets rather than policy and these are the people on the front lines of strategy and alpha," Gross told Bloomberg's Alexis Leondis.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/state-of-bond-market-today-2014-1">Today's Bond Market Environment Is Not Like The Bond Bear Market Of 1981</a> (The Alliance Bernstein Blog) </strong></p>
<p>Investors are often concerned with how they should approach bonds in a rising rate environment. They often think were seeing a situation similar to the runaway inflation we saw in 1981, or 1994 when we saw a rapid rise in federal funds rate. </p>
<p>But in terms of inflation, "questions around inflation mostly relate to the lack of it, rather than runaway levels of it," writes Douglas J. Peebles of Alliance Bernstein. As for the rapid rise in rates, he says that "today, the Fed has taken great care to provide highly transparent communications about catalysts for future rate hikes as well as the likely extent and pace of them-none of which were present in the Fed's communications leading up to 1994's initial rate hike."</p>
<p>Instead he thinks this is closer to what we saw in 2003-2006, when "rates rose meaningfully, but slowly-and in response to improving growth over time." And this is what investors need to remember as they rebalance their portfolios.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-myra-retirement-heres-what-you-need-to-know-2014-1">Here's What You Need To Know About MyRA, Obama's New Retirement Program</a> (Business Insider)</strong></p>
<p>During his State of the Union address, president Obama announced a new retirement savings program called MyRA. "This would be a program of small Roth IRAs with access to a special, safe investment that pays a little better than Treasury bills," Business Insider's Josh Barro explained. </p>
<p>Employees don't have to run or fund the account. And the accounts would be invested in a "security similar to the "G Fund" available to federal employees participating in the Thrift Savings Plan. This fund has all the advantages of short-term Treasury bills (no credit risk or interest rate risk) but pays an interest rate based on the average of outstanding long-term Treasury bond rates." If the account went over $15,000, account holders would have to roll the balance over into a private Roth IRA. <br /><br /></p>

FINANCIAL ADVISOR INSIGHTS: Even The Smartest Investors Can Fall Into These 5 Traps

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Kevork Djansezian/ Getty Images" title_caption="Apple CEO Tim Cook" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5307ca086da811e165403407-960/apple-ceo-tim-cook-15.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/mexican-president-enrique-pe%C3%B1a-nieto-arrives-to-deliver-a-news-photo/173311534">Kevork Djansezian/ Getty Images</a></span></p><p class="caption">Apple CEO Tim Cook</p></div><p></p></div></div>Apple is being sued by a California woman who claims that when she bought a Samsung Galaxy S5, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-lawsuit-iphones-dont-deliver-texts-to-android-2014-5">Apple's iMessage system for iPhones stopped delivering text messages</a> to her. The plaintiff, Adrienne Moore, is hoping a federal court will grant her claim class action status.</p>
<p>Apple tells Business Insider it does not intend to comment on the suit.</p>
<p>But since <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-wont-deliver-imessage-texts-to-android-2014-5">we first reported the news</a>, we've received dozens of emails from former iPhone users who switched to Android or BlackBerry devices and were infuriated to find that Apple's iPhone was holding their messages hostage by not delivering them. One woman says she lost hundreds of dollars in sales commissions. A Verizon sales rep says he also lost sales commissions after angry customers bought new Samsung phones and then returned them for iPhones when they couldn't get texts from friends who use Apple devices. Several people say they nearly lost relationships with spouses, friends, or loved ones who thought they were ignoring their texts.</p>
<p>One woman says her daughter's winter break from college was ruined after she received a free Android Moto X iPhone as a gift for being in the audience of the Jimmy Fallon show.</p>
<p>The lawsuit cites Business Insider's coverage of the issue to help make its claims. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/document/53767faa69bedd9c7d998505/1-main.pdf">Download a PDF of the suit here</a>. BI had no knowledge this suit was being prepared or any other connection to this suit. However, at least one other lawyer unconnected to the California case has contacted us to say they are also preparing to file litigation against Apple on this issue.</p>
<h3>iMessage handles texts differently from other phones</h3>
<p><a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2755">Apple previously pointed us to this customer support page</a> which instructs users how to turn off iMessage so that other iPhones don't continue to try to deliver messages to your disused iMessage address. The technical issue here is that iMessage is not the same as a regular mobile phone text. It's a separate, different system. Texts get "stuck" briefly or permanently inside iMessage when they're directed to someone who has switched their number to an Android phone because they're trying to find your old, inactive iMessage address.</p>
<p>Some of the former Apple customers who contacted us say that even turning off iMessage before switching to an Android doesn't work - they believe that you must delete your phone number from iCloud, which uses iMessage across all Apple devices.</p>
<p>Others of a more conspiratorial bent say believe that some people inside Apple are secretly enjoying the flaw in iMessage because it punishes people for leaving the iOS mobile device ecosystem. There is, of course, no evidence that the alleged flaw inside iMessage is deliberate. Rather, the opposite is the case: An Apple customer service rep recently told Lifehacker blogger Adam Pash that "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-wont-deliver-imessage-texts-to-android-2014-5">The engineering team is working on it but is apparently clueless as to how to fix it</a>," according to Pash.</p>
<p>In the meantime, ex-iPhone users who have switched to Android are emailing Business Insider with their stories faster than we can reply to them. Here is an edited selection of their stories:</p>
<h3>"I lose about $500 per sale"</h3>
<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="offleaseonly via flickr" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/4e823e8d69beddb056000023-960/screen-shot-2011-09-27-at-5.30.29-pm.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/offleaseonly/5161902198/">offleaseonly via flickr</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Katie Becke:</strong> How do I join the suit? Because this crap is costing me money - I am in car sales. Texting is half of my communication for work and if I don't promptly reply I lose about $500 per sale.</p>
<h3>"This cost me misunderstandings with my wife"</h3>
<p><strong>Alexis de Belloy:</strong>  (she wondered why I wasn't responding to her txt and I pondered why she was ignoring me...), our au-pair (I rushed home one day from work needlessly because she had not responded to my txt asking her to confirm that she could pick up the kids. She had, but it did not get to me), friends who were trying to reach me and could not.</p>
<h3>A gift from Jimmy Fallon ruins winter break</h3>
<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="Getty Images/NBCUniversal" title_caption="Jimmy Fallon" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5310c1cc69bedd857dae2724-960/jimmy fallon thank you notes.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Getty Images/NBCUniversal</span></p><p class="caption">Jimmy Fallon</p></div><p></p></div></div>Evy Haroldson:</strong> My daughter and her boyfriend went to the Jimmy Fallon show in mid-December of 2013. Much to their delight it was the week when Jimmy gives gifts to the entire audience, and they both won new designable Moto X phones.</p>
<p>As soon as the phone arrived, we contacted our carrier (AT&amp;T) and switched her device. Then the trouble started. She was home for winter break, during her freshman year of college, and couldn't wait to see her high school friends. She replied to texts about getting together, and never heard back. The first night she thought perhaps her friends were busy with family responsibilities, but when I noticed she wasn't replying to my texts we realized her texts were not going thru, and friends with iPhones couldn't contact her (without realizing the text hadn't sent via iMessage and taking the step to resend as text).</p>
<p>... iMessage was holding our phones hostage.</p>
<p><strong>Victoria Hale:</strong> I switched to Galaxy S4 in January from iPhone 4. Still to this day I cannot receive text messages from any friends using iPhone as they go as iMessages. I had phone calls from friends all through January asking why I'm ignoring their texts. It's absolutely disgusting. Like a penalty for "daring" to leave Apple.</p>
<h3>Verizon salesman: "I couldn't believe how Apple had gotten this customer right where they wanted them"</h3>
<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="AP" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53566dc169bedddb117ea9b1-960/ap110210020225.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Jonathan Eells:</strong> I work in a Verizon retail store and recently switched from an iphone to a Samsung note 3.  I recently had to deal with this issue multiple times and informed many of my customers who were switching that they would not receive messages.  I am glad someone has finally done something and brought attention to this problem.  The way I see this Apple cannot get away with this sort of thing it is ridiculous. I know this issue has started arguments between me and my girlfriend because she was upset and thought I was ignoring her and she was already not to happy that I was no longer using an Iphone.  I also missed multiple texts from friends and family.  I had a customer return a brand new s4 after experiencing this problem.  I explained how to go about getting it fixed but they said "I can't not get messages as much as I don't like my iPhone and love the s4 I need to get all my messages."  I couldn't believe how Apple had gotten this customer right where they wanted them.  I was also upset because I had now lost out on any money I made in the sale and couldn't believe the audacity of apple.  This is no way to treat customers and is very unconscionable.   …  I know a few customers were very unhappy about this and trying to contact apple to get your number unregistered from the servers is like pulling teeth.</p>
<p>…  I've heard from every Apple fanboy that this is a genius move.  It certainly has made me glad I switched and ruined any chance of me going back.</p>
<h3>"I was forced to return the GS5 and revert to my iPhone"</h3>
<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="Steve Kovach/Business Insider" title_caption="The Samsung Galaxy S5 " class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/535e8260eab8ea0c0bd4a33e-960/img_2346-3.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Steve Kovach/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The Samsung Galaxy S5 </p></div><p></p></div></div>Justin Frazier:</strong> I previously had an iPhone 5 and purchased a Galaxy S5 a few days after the release. I was wary of previous complaints about the issue so I made sure to turn off iMessage and log out of all my Apple accounts before making the switch. After switching I talked with a bunch of friends with iPhones who would try and message me. They told me one day it would go through as a text and the next it would send as iMessage, which of course I couldn't receive.  … I kept my phone for 10 days to see if the extra time would solve the issue, to no avail. I was forced to return the GS5 and revert to my iPhone. I feel this is something the Apple developers could fix in a heartbeat, but are in no rush as it benefits the company.</p>
<p><strong>Steven Hemingway:</strong> I joked at the time that it must be Apple's way of withholding your messages and tricking you into thinking something is wrong with your phone so that you switch back.  But after reading that everyone is having problems, I'm not so sure it's a joke.</p>
<h3>"All of my friends have iPhones and I was not able to communicate with any of them"</h3>
<p><strong>Matt Rober:</strong> I chose to hop onto the Android bandwagon and was thrilled to be unshackled from the grips of Apple until I tried texting my friends. All of my friends have iPhones and I was not able to communicate with any of them. I had to resort to communicating with them via the Facebook messenger app. They all told me that they had received my texts but I had not received any of theirs. I thought my phone was a lemon until I started doing some research.</p>
<p>This really cemented my stance on hating Apple. Today, I am able to receive some text messages on the occasion from some numbers, but some numbers I'm not able to communicate with whatsoever. ... most of my coworkers will own iPhones. What I heard is that changing your number solves the issue so I will have to give that a go, I'm sure it will work...though it's a nuisance.</p>
<h3>"The only solution they offered me was to change my phone number"</h3>
<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="AP" title_caption="Tim Cook at an Apple product launch." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5373ff9ceab8ea402e52974e-960/ap596411514310.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">Tim Cook at an Apple product launch.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Katherine Dee:</strong>  I almost lost a friend over this issue.</p>
<p>I switched from an iPhone 4s to Samsung Galaxy S4 in February of this year. I found over the first few days that I wasn't receiving any texts from anyone with an iphone. I researched on the internet about the problem and found (surprise!) that others had the exact problem. I made sure I was logged out of Apple everywhere, turned off iMessage on my old, non-working phone and my iPad, but still no dice. I called Apple to make sure they removed me from their database, and they told me that it was a known problem, and that they COULD NOT REMOVE me from the database. The only solution they offered me was to change my phone number.</p>
<p>… After about a month, I found that I was getting texts, but that was after at least one friend thought I had BLOCKED her messages.</p>
<h3>"I was forced to change my phone number ... It has affected my professional and personal life"</h3>
<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="Tax Fix" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/505b8109ecad041427000012-960/screen shot 2012-09-20 at 4.46.18 pm.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span><a href="http://taxfix.co.uk/">Tax Fix</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div>James Maiorana:</strong> I recently switched to Samsung Galaxy a few weeks ago and had the same issue. Apple was no help and went as far as to tell me that I had to tell everybody in my contacts list that has an iPhone to change settings on their phone to contact me, which I responded by telling them that was near impossible and insane at the same time. Apple assured me that my contact info and number had been removed from their system and that the issue would resolve itself. It clearly did not, and I suspected foul play the entire time. As time went on I was forced to change my phone number to fix the problem, which was not only a pain for me, but also for the hundreds of contacts that now need to learn and program my new phone number. It has affected my professional and personal life.<br /><br /><strong>Yang Wang:</strong> My experience is that the problem eventually fixes itself (for each individual sending a text, not fixed universally) after a few weeks if the person sending the imessages tries to send "enough" of them. They start showing up as failed to deliver at which point you can switch to resend as sms. Very annoying, and seems like the problem may be deliberate.</p>
<h3>"My wife would no longer receive text messages"</h3>
<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="Megan Rose Dickey/Business Insider" title_caption="The gold iPhone S5." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/52570b8a6bb3f7cc59b9faba-960/img_5682-1.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>Megan Rose Dickey/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The gold iPhone S5.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Doug Anderson:</strong> … it explains why my wife would no longer receive text messages from certain people after she switched to Android.</p>
<p><strong>Andrew Murray:</strong> Whenever you log into iCloud, whether it's from a Mac, iPhone or iPad, it automatically sets up what ID's you can receive iMessages at. If ANY device has your phone number listed, then all messages sent to you from within the Apple ecosystem will remain there. For example, when my wife would send me a message from her iPhone, it would never reach the BlackBerry because it would arrive on my Mac, via iMessage, because my number was still registered there.</p>
<p>That's controlled at the device level. Wherever you've allowed iCloud to setup with your phone number and not expressly disallowed it, your phone number becomes a part of the Apple ecosystem.</p>
<p>This has also happened with a couple of friends of mine that switched to Android. The solution for everyone was simple, if a little inconvenient. They had to go around to all of their Apple devices and uncheck their phone number in the iMessage or iCloud settings, as a "receive messages at" address. After that, it takes 12-48 hours for Apple to purge the number from their servers. After that everyone sending them messages from within Apple automatically switched to texts.</p>
<p>There were some exceptions to this. Our babysitter turns off iMessage from time to time because she has a very small data plan. She unchecks her phone number on her iPad and everything switches to test... most of the time. Sometimes the senders, like me, have to delete the message and start a new conversation. But in those cases, iMessage shows the message as undelivered and I know what I have to do.</p>
<p><strong>Jaime Chis:</strong> Few my friends have stated that the messages I send from iMessage (to android phone) don't go through, and at times they don't get it at all.  Half my friends have switched to Samsung Galaxy when they came out. I also have the same problems with emails, when sending out to friends, they read it from the Samsung phone or the iPhone.</p>
<h3>And now the good news ... "<strong>I</strong>t is an easy fix!</h3>
<p><strong>Bekka Day:</strong> I had this problem when I switched. However it is an easy fix! All you have to do is go to the apple website, sign in, and actually delete your phone number from your apple account. Once the phone number is deleted it is no longer registered under an apple product, there shouldn't be any more issues. I haven't had anymore issues anyways. You said in the article that the person signed out of their apple account. They have to actually delete the number.</p>

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