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Pyramid schemes

Alexander the Gr8

Alexander the Gr8

Registered User
May 2, 2013
32,022
13,733
Toronto
Alright, a friend of mine is a consultant for Arbonne, a company that makes "natural" products for the skin. Now, she hasn't tried to convince me to join this company, but how can I convince her that it's a scam?

Do you know anyone around you who is involved in such a shady business scheme?
Click to read more...
 
ChickenBurrito

ChickenBurrito

Registered User
Apr 8, 2013
3,697
88
Let her lose all her money then figure it out. Most people who join these schemes are impossible to talk out of.
 
John Price

John Price

Gang Gang
Sep 19, 2008
384,988
30,519
hqdefault.jpg
 
Kestrel

Kestrel

Registered User
Jan 30, 2005
5,814
129
To loosely quote King of the Hill - it's not a pyramid, it's a triangle!

Do your research on the company, share your concerns with her - if she's open to hearing it, show them exactly what they are - if she just starts defending it, lay off - you're not going to convince her. In that case you'll have to hope she learns after being burned once, and isn't one of those people that hop from pyramid scheme to pyramid scheme always hoping that the next one is the one that will work out.
 

Xelebes

Registered User
Jun 10, 2007
9,057
629
Edmonton, Alberta
The term you want to look up is "multi-level marketing". It does have some similarities to the pyramid scheme and it does fleece the latest ones joining. It has been ruled illegal in China due to the number of MLM schemes that had been hatched there.

Amway is a pioneer of this scheme and currently owns the Orlando Magic and other sports ventures. There have been court cases in the US due to complaints and investigations into whether Amway is a pyramid scheme. Successful lobbying on Amway's part has allowed them to avoid investigation.
 

Dog

Guest
Isn't Arbonne no different than Avon?

Girl gets a catalog and her friend buy stuff from the catalog
 
Alexander the Gr8

Alexander the Gr8

Registered User
May 2, 2013
32,022
13,733
Toronto
ChickenBurrito said:
Let her lose all her money then figure it out. Most people who join these schemes are impossible to talk out of.
Click to expand...

Except I can't do that, for many reasons. First, she's new in Canada, and pyramid schemes don't exist in her country (all the different variants are prohibited by law), she probably has no idea what she got herself into. Second, I have a thing for her, so obviously I can't just ignore the problem :)

We haven't talked about this, but I won't let the people I care about get scammed by some ****** pyramid scheme.

Kestrel said:
To loosely quote King of the Hill - it's not a pyramid, it's a triangle!

Do your research on the company, share your concerns with her - if she's open to hearing it, show them exactly what they are - if she just starts defending it, lay off - you're not going to convince her. In that case you'll have to hope she learns after being burned once, and isn't one of those people that hop from pyramid scheme to pyramid scheme always hoping that the next one is the one that will work out.
Click to expand...

I've done my research on this specific company, I'll share my concerns with her. I can't believe pyramid schemes still exist in the 21st century in Canada. Arbonne presents itself as a multi-level marketing company, but it's just a fancy name for pyramid scheme.
 
whatsbruin

whatsbruin

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
7,630
2,569
Central, NY
Eazy for Kuzy said:
Alright, a friend of mine is a consultant for Arbonne, a company that makes "natural" products for the skin. Now, she hasn't tried to convince me to join this company, but how can I convince her that it's a scam?

Do you know anyone around you who is involved in such a shady business scheme?
Click to expand...
I'm not real familiar with Arbonne, but I don't believe it is a pyramid scheme.
Consultants do not pay money to become a consultant.
They sell the product and make money off their sales.
They also encourage others to become consultants, and if they do then
they make money off of those peoples sales as well. The only money they make
is off of sales.
 
John Price

John Price

Gang Gang
Sep 19, 2008
384,988
30,519
Barbara Bingham: Well, I guess that's everything. Jeremy, is there anything you'd like to ask?
Jeremy Usborne: Yes, Barbara. Yes, there is. Barbara, how much washing-up do you think you could do without any washing-up liquid?!
 
Devourers

Devourers

Registered User
Sep 20, 2013
3,038
12
Montreal
A buddy of mine got sucked into one called Usana a while back. Myself and everyone explained to him over and over again that MLM is basically a fancy way of saying pyramid scam. He wouldn't listen. Lost a decent amount of money and finally admitted it by the end.

Worst part is he's usually a pretty smart guy, but he's overly cocky and thinks he's smarter than everybody. Couldn't fathom that fact that other people realized it was a scam but he didn't :laugh: I think he lost over a grand as a result. Don't really remember why 100%, but I believe they pressure you to buy a bare minimum monthly amount to remain a seller.
 
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Alexander the Gr8

Alexander the Gr8

Registered User
May 2, 2013
32,022
13,733
Toronto
Devourers said:
A buddy of mine got sucked into one called Usana a while back. Myself and everyone explained to him over and over again that MLM is basically a fancy way of saying pyramid scam. He wouldn't listen. Lost a decent amount of money and finally admitted it by the end.

Worst part is he's usually a pretty smart guy, but he's overly cocky and thinks he's smarter than everybody. Couldn't fathom that fact that other people realized it was a scam but he didn't :laugh: I think he lost over a grand as a result. Don't really remember why 100$, but I believe they pressure you to buy a bare minimum monthly amount to remain a seller.
Click to expand...

I figured that's the kind of sum you lose in this situation. A grand is a lot, especially for a student living on her own. Alright, I'll tell her all the truth about the pyramid scams and Arbonne in particular.

Thanks for the info :)
 
Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams

watch me whip and nae nae
Sep 15, 2013
19,783
158
a particular place or position.
Dr Pepper said:
First thing that came to mind.

Also, one of my cousins on Facebook has been flooding my newsfeed with posts about Rodan and Fields, ever since she started "working" with them.

Constant sales pitches and recruiting.

I don't have the heart to unfollow or unfriend her, though. :laugh:
Click to expand...

A really really pretty girl I had a bunch of classes with is doing the same thing.

SHE'S HER OWN CEO! Or something.
 
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