by Judith Massia

Recently I have been invited to many presentations by family and friends regarding a ‘‘great business opportunity’’ that I ‘‘just have to be a part of’’

The usually go along the same lines:
1. I get a call/text/whatsapp from a friend or family member telling me about a ‘‘great business opportunity’’ that I ‘‘just have to be a part of’’
2. They can’t tell me what it is I just have to turn up to a presentation
3. It is such a great opportunity they can’t tell me themselves (they would be doing it a disservice) I just have to turn up at a location and hear the presentation
4. I turn up at said location (99.9% of the time it is a hotel)
5. There are well groomed and well spoken representatives that head up the presentation
6. They discuss how they went from working 9-5 to making great passive income (they might name drop his Royal Highness King of Passive Income making Robert Kiyosaki at this point)
7. They show the glossy rewards you can get if you graduate from beginner to area manager to senior manager or whatever else. This usually includes cars, holidays, the passive income lifestyle dream etc
8. They finally tell us what the product actually is (it can be any of the below*)
9. They then attempt to answer the nagging question on everyone’s mind – if this is such a great opportunity why haven’t I heard of this before? (This is the part that always gets me- it’s usually a terrible excuse of how ‘we don’t do marketing’ or they get really inventive of the truth)

I’m sick to death of going to these things, the only reason what I go is because as a busy London working professional who holds down a full time job and starting two new businesses and countless other projects on the weekend, I barely get enough time to meet with family and friends and this is one of the few ways I get to see my loved ones (when someone wants you to attend one of these things they won’t take no for an answer, and they will definitely be there – as opposed to canceling last minute if you arrange to meet up for a coffee!)

And therein lies the double edge sword- I have to watch my family and friends waste good money on these Pyramid Schemes that will hurt their pockets and leave them financially poor. And before you ask, yes I have warned them but it falls on deaf ears. When you’re struggling and/or looking for a way out of the rat race these things look like a Godsend and once you’re sucked in- you’re sucked in.
For the last few weeks and months I have been following @BFKUniversity on Twitter (I suggest you do the same) and their hard hitting advise on personal finance. I for the first time feel wiser with my finances than ever before. Over at their blog thisiswhyubroke.wordpress.com they have a more comprehensive look at Pyramid Schemes so be sure to check it out.
(https://thisiswhyubroke.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/only-you-can-prevent-stupiditypyramidmulti-level-marketing-schemes-exposed/)

CNBC goes undercover to expose Pyramid Schemes (https://thisiswhyubroke.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/cnbc-goes-undercover-to-investigate-herbalife/)

But below are few videos that you should check out about Pyramid Schemes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qISR7KrQ5xo

BTW the moral of the story is don’t attend any of these and don’t even think about parting ways with your money for one of these schemes. Seek advice from an independent certified individual or company AND research for yourself about personal finance- cos remember nobody cares about your money and financial wellbeing more than you do.

*Here are all of the pyramid schemes & MLMs they discuss on their website from A-Z:
• 5Linx
• 7 Figure School of Marketing
• 2By2.Net
• ACN
• Agel
• AIM
• AlltheCashYouWant.com
• Ambit Energy
• Amway-Quixtar
• Biometics International
• Bioreadyrice.com
• Biz Calling Card
• Black Business Builders
• Black Shopping Channel
• BlastOff
• Britt World Wide Group
• Business in Motion (in Canada)
• Carbon Copy Marketing
• Cutco
• Daily Income Maker
• Ecoquest
• Efusjon
• Elite Activity (tu prosperiedad hoy)
• Empower Network
• Enlyten
• Escape International
• Forever Living
• Fortune High Tech Marketing
• Freesitesignup.com
• Gifting Schemes
• Global Resorts Network (grn)
• Gold Mine international
• Gotomeeting.com
• GreenIrene
• GuardIt Technologies
• Healthy Chocolate
• Herbalife
• ICF WORLD HOMES
• Ideal Health (part of the Trump Network)
• Ignite
• Ijango
• iLA
• Instant Massive Cash Flow
• Isagenix
• Juice Plus
• Liberty League
• Local Ad Link
• LTD (div. of Amway)
• Mannatech
• MaxGL
• Maximum Success
• Melaleuca
• Millionaire Club
• My Great Opportunity
• Motor Club of America (MCA)
• Monavie
• Narc That Car (Crowd Sourcing International)
• National Chamber of Commerce
• Nexagen
• Nikken
• Nuskin
• Online Business Systems
• Organo Gold
• P 2 P” or “Carbon Credits
• Penny Matrix
• Pre-Paid Legal
• Primerica
• Process at Home
• Quattro University
• Quest International
• Questnet
• Quixtar
• ReGenesis Marketing Group
• Send Out Cards
• Shop To Earn
• Solavei
• Syntek Gas Additive
• Tahitian Noni
• Team National
• The Magicofmakingup.com
• Travel Ventures International or TVI
• Traverus
• TVC Matrix
• Trump Network
• UFirst Financial or MMA
• United Pro Media
• Usana
• Vemma/Verve Corp.
• Wealthy Affiliate University
• World Financial Group (WFG)
• World Ventures (Travel Agency)
• http://www.allxclub.com
• Xango
• Xocai Chocolate
• Yourhealth.com
• “Your Promised Land,” a ‘faith based” MLM base selling “Divine Water”
• YTB
• ZAMU
• Zoegetics or Zoe life
• Zones
• ZRII.