Click Profit promised investors that it would build e-commerce stores on Amazon, Walmart, and TikTok and help them earn tens of thousands of dollars in passive income. All the client had to do was pay between $45,000 and $75,000 initially as a management fee, and then $10,000 more for inventory.

Now the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is suing the company, alleging that consumers collectively lost at least $14 million by participating in the so-called investment opportunity.

On Tuesday, the FTC filed a lawsuit against Click Profit and its owners, Craig Emslie and Patrick McGeoghean, alleging that the company promised customers $150,000 in “guaranteed” sales by helping them sell brand-name products selected by its AI supercomputer. Click Profit said it would also handle all the logistics, product selection, shipping, and customer service. Investors would make money if products were sold, but Click Profit would receive a 25% to 35% cut.

However, the majority of investors found that the promised money never materialized. The agency requested that a federal court stop Click Profit from operating, and the request was granted earlier this month.

“Click Profit misled consumers by falsely promising them guaranteed passive income using cutting-edge AI technology and exclusive brand partnerships,” said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a statement. “Their deception caused individual consumers to lose tens of thousands of dollars while the Click Profit’s operators enriched themselves.”

The case is the latest in the FTC’s crusade against “automation” companies that claim to launch and manage online businesses for clients in exchange for a hefty investment. The FTC sued Ascend Ecom in September 2024, and Empire in August 2023, over similar claims.

Related: The FTC Says a Major Ratings Website Published ‘Fake’ Reviews — Here’s How to Avoid It Happening to Your Business

What Are the Allegations Against Click Profit?

Per the complaint, Click Profit has been operating as a business since at least 2021 under different names like Automation Industries and PortfolioLaunch. The company marketed its “scheme” as a “passive income” generator powered by AI with profits that “will outperform returns on traditional investments, like stocks and real estate.”

Click Profit built credibility in advertisements, marketing materials, and sales pitches by claiming to have forged partnerships with companies like Disney, Colgate, and Nike that enabled the company to purchase prime merchandise in bulk at a discounted price. According to the FTC complaint, Click Profit does not have any affiliation with these companies, and the products the company sold on its e-commerce storefronts consisted of generic and off-brand goods like paper clips, food storage bags, and drying racks.

In advertisements, Click Profit also told customers that it spent $5 million on a supercomputer that used AI to find the “most profitable products.” The FTC wrote in its complaint that “the highly touted AI technology and brand partnerships do not exist, and the promised earnings never materialize.”

Related: Don’t Copy Big Brands to Increase Your Sales on Amazon — Do This Instead

Amazon suspended or blocked about 95% of the stores Click Profit set up for violating its seller policies, per the complaint. After taking Amazon’s fees into account, more than 20% of Click Profit’s stores on Amazon earned no money at all while about 33% earned less than $2,500 in lifetime sales — not enough to recoup the at least $55,000 investment.

Customers were left with “burdensome credit card debt and unsold products,” per the FTC.

Now the agency is asking for monetary relief for Click Profit’s clients as well as a permanent barring of the company from doing business.

There’s a big difference between an employee completing tasks and one taking full ownership of their work. One is engaged, and the other is invested. An engaged employee meets expectations, follows instructions and completes the job. An invested employee looks beyond the task, asks why it matters and seeks ways to improve results.

When I founded ButterflyMX in 2014, I quickly realized that the challenge isn’t getting employees to do their jobs; it’s getting them to care about the outcomes as much as you do. You can assign responsibilities, set deadlines and track performance, but actual ownership can’t be forced. It has to be cultivated.

Teams with invested employees perform better, collaborate more effectively and drive real business growth. When employees take ownership, they stop working just for a paycheck and start working purposefully. Ownership isn’t just something a few high-achievers are born with; it’s something any manager can intentionally build into their team culture. Let’s break down how to make that shift happen.

Related: 4 Ways You Can Create a Culture of Ownership

Why employees don’t take ownership (and how to change that)

If you want employees to take ownership, you must understand why they’re not doing it already. Most of the time, it’s not a lack of motivation; something in the workplace culture prevents it.

1. Lack of clarity = lack of ownership

No one can take ownership of something that hasn’t been clearly defined. If employees don’t fully understand their roles, responsibilities or how success is measured, they’ll hesitate to take initiative. Instead of stepping up, they’ll wait for direction.

Fix it:

• Define roles, responsibilities and goals with precision.

• Ensure every employee knows what’s expected of them and how their contributions fit the bigger picture.

• Set clear KPIs that measure success beyond just “doing the work.”

• Establish ownership at the start of a project. Who is responsible for what, and how will progress be tracked?

2. No room for decision-making

If employees feel their input doesn’t matter, they won’t exceed the minimum requirements. Ownership is about having a say in how the work gets done.

Fix it:

• Give employees the autonomy to make meaningful decisions.

• Instead of dictating every step, allow team members to have a voice in processes that affect them.

• Ask their opinions: “How do you think we should approach this?”

• Give them the freedom to test their solutions.

3. Fear of failure kills initiative

If employees fear that mistakes will be punished, they’ll play it safe. No one takes ownership of something when they feel a misstep could damage their reputation or career. Fear crushes initiative.

Fix it:

• Normalize failure as part of the growth process.

• Shift the mindset from “failure is bad” to “failure is data.”

• When something doesn’t go as planned, ask: “What can we learn from this?”

• Encourage problem-solving over blame. Help employees troubleshoot and improve instead of shutting them down.

Related: This Weekly 20-Minute Exercise Will Fuel Purpose and Ownership in Your Workplace

Strategies to foster ownership in your team

If you want employees to take ownership, you must allow them to do so. Ownership doesn’t happen by accident; it’s built through a culture that encourages initiative, rewards accountability and gives people the autonomy to take charge.

1. Involve employees in goal-setting

People are more committed to goals they help create. If goals are dictated from the top down, employees may comply, but they won’t feel personally invested.

Shift from setting goals for your team to setting them with your team:

• Instead of handing down quarterly KPIs, hold a strategy session where employees define their key objectives.

• Ask: “What do you think is a realistic but ambitious goal?” and “What do you need to succeed?”

• Guide the conversation, but let employees define their success metrics.

2. Give employees a say in how work gets done

Micromanagement is the fastest way to kill ownership. If employees feel like they have no control over their work, they’ll stop taking initiative and wait for instructions.

Shift from managing tasks to managing outcomes:

• Instead of prescribing every detail of how a project should be executed, clearly define the desired result and let employees figure out the best way to achieve it.

• Ask: “What approach do you think would work best?” and empower them to test their ideas.

• Be available for support, but don’t step in unless they need guidance.

3. Hold people accountable

Ownership thrives in environments where accountability is clear but supportive. If accountability only happens when something goes wrong, employees will avoid responsibility rather than embrace it.

Implement weekly check-ins focused on progress and solutions:

• Replace “Why isn’t this done yet?” with “What roadblocks are slowing you down?”

• Make check-ins collaborative. Focus on problem-solving and strategy adjustments rather than just status updates.

• Encourage employees to reflect on their progress: “What’s working well? What would you change next time?”

4. Recognize and reward ownership

People repeat what gets recognized. If you only reward hitting targets, employees will focus on numbers. If you also reward initiative and accountability, employees will take more ownership.

Publicly highlight employees who show ownership, not just those who hit goals:

• Call out employees in team meetings who proactively solved a problem or took initiative on a project.

• Send a quick Slack or email shout-out to acknowledge when someone demonstrates ownership.

• Reward behaviors, not just results: “I appreciate how you took the lead on this; it made a big impact.”

Related: 4 Leadership Methods for Empowering Employees and Building Strong Teams

Getting employees to take ownership isn’t about demanding more; it’s about giving them the confidence, clarity and autonomy to commit fully. When employees feel empowered to make decisions, take the initiative and see their impact, they stop working to check boxes and start working purposefully. They don’t wait for direction; they step up, problem-solve and drive results.

Wealth management is no longer confined to traditional investment strategies. For ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs), global mobility, financial privacy and asset security have become key priorities.

As financial strategies evolve, golden visas and second passports have emerged as essential tools for safeguarding wealth, optimizing tax exposure and ensuring personal freedom.

Related: Revealed: How Entrepreneurs Can Get a UAE Golden Visa

Golden visas: A pathway to financial agility

If you have been left out of the memo, you need to know that there has been growing reliance on second citizenships as part of a broader wealth management plan.

Today’s UHNWIs prioritize safeguarding their wealth against economic fluctuations, political instability and increasing tax burdens. Golden visas and second passports are no longer luxury assets; they are strategic instruments that provide financial resilience and flexibility.

The benefits of golden visas

Golden visas, which grant residency — and, in some cases, citizenship — through financial investment, are gaining traction among those seeking economic stability, privacy and tax efficiency. Countries such as Portugal, Greece and Malta offer competitive golden visa programs, each catering to different investor needs. No longer merely residency permits, these visas have evolved into essential tools for managing cross-border financial interests.

These programs offer more than just residency; they provide access to advantageous tax structures and business opportunities. Residency in a low-tax jurisdiction enables investors to mitigate tax liabilities — a crucial advantage in a time of increasing global tax regulations. This concept of geo-arbitrage allows individuals to benefit from lower tax obligations while maintaining business operations across multiple markets.

Second passports: Enhancing freedom and security

Much like golden visas, second passports offer substantial advantages, enabling individuals to travel freely, access better healthcare and education systems and invest in regions with more favorable economic conditions. Nations such as Switzerland, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda have become prominent providers of citizenship-by-investment programs.

I’m sure you’re wondering how this information can empower you. If you have a global investment strategy, you need to understand that second passports and golden visas grant people the freedom to diversify their portfolios, engage in global investment opportunities and shield their assets from economic pressures such as currency devaluation.

Beyond financial considerations, second citizenships provide a sense of security in an unpredictable world. They offer individuals the flexibility to relocate quickly in response to political or economic instability — an increasingly valuable safeguard in today’s volatile global landscape.

Related: 7 Best Second Passports and Citizenships Made Possible by Investment Programs

Multi-passport strategies in wealth management

One of the greatest benefits of holding a second passport is the ability to establish residency in economically robust countries with favorable tax policies. The UAE, for example, remains a popular choice among UHNWIs due to its tax-free status. Similarly, Monaco and Hong Kong provide access to elite business networks and attractive tax conditions, making them ideal locations for wealth preservation and expansion.

Additionally, multiple citizenships enable investors to explore global real estate markets with more advantageous regulations and investment opportunities, unlocking a stable avenue for capital growth.

Leveraging assets for sustainable growth

Wealth strategies today extend beyond conventional banking and investment methods. Lending against physical assets, such as gold — offered in financial hubs like Singapore — has gained popularity as a tax-efficient, low-risk approach to liquidity management. Similarly, crypto banking solutions in jurisdictions like Panama provide innovative methods for wealth preservation through digital assets, expanding financial possibilities for globally-minded investors.

While private banking and trusts remain integral to wealth management, newer strategies are providing additional layers of protection and access to exclusive business circles. Emerging investment trends, such as land banking in Georgia, are gaining traction as stable, long-term opportunities for diversification and capital appreciation. With geopolitical uncertainties on the rise, these strategies allow investors to distribute their wealth across multiple regions, reducing reliance on any single economy or political framework.

Protecting wealth in an uncertain future

For UHNWIs seeking to optimize their portfolios, the combination of golden visas, second passports and innovative wealth management strategies offers unparalleled opportunities for securing financial stability. By leveraging these tools, individuals can ensure their assets remain protected and adaptable to an ever-changing global economy.

But they are not the only ones; middle-income earners are also in the fray. According to Bloomberg, the number of U.S. residents relocating to countries like France, Spain and Portugal has surged in recent years. With the dollar holding strong against the euro, skyrocketing housing costs and ongoing political uncertainty, many Americans are looking overseas for better opportunities.

Stephanie Synclair is one such individual. Unable to find an affordable home in Atlanta — even with $300,000 in cash — she instead purchased one house and a storefront in Italy for just 60,000 euros in April. “I wouldn’t have even considered buying property in Italy if the U.S. market hadn’t been so out of control,” Synclair had said.

Market trends support this shift. Sotheby’s International Realty reported a 40% rise in inquiries from Americans about moving to Greece compared to the same period in 2023. Social media is fueling this movement, too. Topics such as gun violence and healthcare accessibility are frequently discussed under hashtags like #expat, which has amassed billions of views on TikTok.

Related: The 10 Cheapest Countries Where You Can Buy Citizenship or Residency For as Low as $19,000

For many, the move is about more than just finances. Jamie Dixon, a remote worker and mother, relocated to Portugal last year due in part to concerns about crime and political instability in the U.S. “The rise in violence in America was a huge factor,” Dixon told Bloomberg. “I wanted my child to experience a normal, safe childhood.”

As more Americans look beyond domestic borders for a better quality of life, Europe and Asia are increasingly becoming attractive alternatives for those seeking affordability, security and stability.

If you’re still young and, as they say, want to experience life in a new environment, I suggest you read about the countries that are perfect for American Expats. People who seek permanent homes away from their current homes, however, need to know more about the best countries and travel programs for retirement.