janwad said:Utah has the most MLMs in the country. It's a combination of the usual, plus desperation. You have big families, lots of tithing, an environment that favors business over labor. Add in a lot of people who spent 2 years honing sales skills on a church mission. Presto, MLMs erupt.

A lot of these schemes are 'affinity fraud', as with Madoff. If someone you trust does it, you sometimes forget due diligence.

Estimates are that 99% of participants lose money - often over and over. The affinity fraud is especially prevalent among religious and ethnic groups. The same trust and blind faith found in Utah among those of a shared religious belief is the same thing we see with Asians and WFG, or Indians and Quixtar, etc.

SUCKISSTAPLES said: The affinity fraud is especially prevalent among religious and ethnic groups. The same trust and blind faith found in Utah among those of a shared religious belief is the same thing we see with Asians and WFG, or Indians and Quixtar, etc.

The MLM fat cats at the top have realized sharing the same faith or the usually tight-knit network of ethnic groups become a secondary but very powerful factor in selling the scam. Many Asian culture would dictate that you politely sign up so your friend/relative would ago away versus telling them off and making them lose face. The MLM people also recruit professionals like physicians and dentists. Once you get them in, their patients are more likely to go along. After all, your trusted doctor thinks it is the best way since sliced bread.

My wife always meets new ladies at work or at the kids school. And they always invite her over to their homes.

It is always so sad and dissapointing when she finds out that their true intention was to get her to buy something from them.

The other sadness is when you are given a peek behind the curtain and find out that so many people who you swear are doing great financially, really aren't at all.

With risk of being flamed here goes my fellow FW'ers I am a professional network marketer and earning a full time income with PT efforts. There are good and bad companies. check out this video for info on how to identify a pyramid scheme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iu-MvDbPjA

educate yourself it is a legit form of business.

SUCKISSTAPLES said:janwad said:Utah has the most MLMs in the country. It's a combination of the usual, plus desperation. You have big families, lots of tithing, an environment that favors business over labor. Add in a lot of people who spent 2 years honing sales skills on a church mission. Presto, MLMs erupt.

A lot of these schemes are 'affinity fraud', as with Madoff. If someone you trust does it, you sometimes forget due diligence.

Estimates are that 99% of participants lose money - often over and over. The affinity fraud is especially prevalent among religious and ethnic groups. The same trust and blind faith found in Utah among those of a shared religious belief is the same thing we see with Asians and WFG, or Indians and Quixtar, etc.

Amen!

unfortunately for me the probability of getting into these discussions is way too high (Utah,religion and ethnic)

Are people really that naive? There was one some guy tried talking to me about for a prepaid legal service. I told him no way and to leave me along.

We really need to have a minimum education requirement to post on here as half the posts these days are indecipherable.

tripleB said:Because its an easy way to make money!Please, I want to learn more this exciting opportunity for unlimited wealth. I am not a shill.

Not all MLM are created equal. Some are legitimate, but most you hear about are not. Can you get rich? In most cases winning the lottery would be a better chance of getting rich.

I remember a "party" by a friend many years ago. It was a presentation on everything about the "good life" and it wasn't until the end when you found out the actual "products" of the MLM. Did I get into it. NO! I was surprised when other friends (who I would have pitched it to) were into it, too. Most were just at the break-even point [excluding the cost of time], but I saw not way to make the downlines that would make it profitable. I didn't "believe" in the product like the "makers" and "shakers" that had the big downlines.

Over the years I got into the PTC/PTS/PTP internet industry and still get residual checks every once in a while from some active downlines if the companies don't go out of business.

"Product-based MLMs are actually WORSE and MORE DANGEROUS than pure pyramids...."

I think there are exceptions; I like my Cutco knives, for example, as a product and never considered getting into Vector Marketing after buying them.

Our neighbor was big on Reliv, which she pushed fairly hard. She went to the convetions and everything. I think she did pretty well with it, but she had the whole chain thing workin for her. Overpriced milkshakes if you ask me.