Multi-level marketing/pyramid schemes and the people who fall for them

[Kiwi Lime Pie]

My friend told me the foster agency changed the rule to unwrapped gifts only, and absolutely no scented gifts of any kind.

The church I grew up attending had a Christmas ministry called the Giving Tree where they would put a Christmas tree near the main entrance with decorations that each listed a single item wanted by/for a family in need. For example, one might find a decoration listing "One pair of girl's dress shoes (size 4)".

It used to be the case gifts were to be returned wrapped and with the ornament to make it easier to distribute the gifts to those needing them. However, I imagine something happened (hopefully not people replacing the requested gifts with MLM garbage) that changed the policy to submitting the gifts unwrapped with the original ornament to make sure what was requested and what was returned matched up.
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I can't recall if the topic has been discussed previously, but some of these MLMs sponsor trips/vacations where "consultants" have the chance travel somewhere for the opportunity to network or be recognized for meeting specific sales/recruitment goals while being further indoctrinated. One of my acquaintances that's apparently still involved with her MLM of choice recently attended one of these with the requisite photos posted on social media.

I'd love to know just how many people on these trips have to pay for the entire trip out of their own pocket -- thus reducing any net MLM earnings they my have had -- despite making it look like the MLM company is picking up some or all of the tab because they did such a good job with their sales and recruitment volumes.

 

[The Un-Clit]

The church I grew up attending had a Christmas ministry called the Giving Tree where they would put a Christmas tree near the main entrance with decorations that each listed a single item wanted by/for a family in need. For example, one might find a decoration listing "One pair of girl's dress shoes (size 4)".

It used to be the case gifts were to be returned wrapped and with the ornament to make it easier to distribute the gifts to those needing them. However, I imagine something happened (hopefully not people replacing the requested gifts with MLM garbage) that changed the policy to submitting the gifts unwrapped with the original ornament to make sure what was requested and what was returned matched up.
---
I can't recall if the topic has been discussed previously, but some of these MLMs sponsor trips/vacations where "consultants" have the chance travel somewhere for the opportunity to network or be recognized for meeting specific sales/recruitment goals while being further indoctrinated. One of my acquaintances that's apparently still involved with her MLM of choice recently attended one of these with the requisite photos posted on social media.

I'd love to know just how many people on these trips have to pay for the entire trip out of their own pocket -- thus reducing any net MLM earnings they my have had -- despite making it look like the MLM company is picking up some or all of the tab because they did such a good job with their sales and recruitment volumes.

From what I understand, the overwhelming majority if not all every single one of them.

 

[IBrokeBob]

The church I grew up attending had a Christmas ministry called the Giving Tree where they would put a Christmas tree near the main entrance with decorations that each listed a single item wanted by/for a family in need. For example, one might find a decoration listing "One pair of girl's dress shoes (size 4)".

It used to be the case gifts were to be returned wrapped and with the ornament to make it easier to distribute the gifts to those needing them. However, I imagine something happened (hopefully not people replacing the requested gifts with MLM garbage) that changed the policy to submitting the gifts unwrapped with the original ornament to make sure what was requested and what was returned matched up.
---
I can't recall if the topic has been discussed previously, but some of these MLMs sponsor trips/vacations where "consultants" have the chance travel somewhere for the opportunity to network or be recognized for meeting specific sales/recruitment goals while being further indoctrinated. One of my acquaintances that's apparently still involved with her MLM of choice recently attended one of these with the requisite photos posted on social media.

I'd love to know just how many people on these trips have to pay for the entire trip out of their own pocket -- thus reducing any net MLM earnings they my have had -- despite making it look like the MLM company is picking up some or all of the tab because they did such a good job with their sales and recruitment volumes.

I have a stepdaughter who is in "Perfectly Posh", an mlm based on lotions, soaps, self- care items to pamper your self with." Self-Care" being a big selling/pushing point with the products.

Anyway, she has been to 2 different out of state conventions/ workshops, whatever you want to call then. Idle curiosity prompted me to see the cost of this ( after all, this is an adult stepdaughter with 2 children who needed money for the kids school supplies from us). It seems she got a sis to join Posh too. So the drive there to the event was about 1500 miles. The hotel was 250 a night and you had to say at that hotel to get a complimentary swag bag. Oh but only one swag bag per room booking. Each day/event had its own ticket and cost. Rachel Hollis (? That obnoxious motivational career speaker?) and other such events like introducing new products with hype, mix your own hand cream and a costume event. Out to eat at trendy places with new posh bffs, etc.

Add in the cost of fuel and such and i saw a lot of money wasted. Easily over $1000 was spent when there are so many things she needs the money for.

 

[Muttnik]

"You see those people rightfully warning you about us? FUCK THEM THEY'RE THE SCAMMERS!11"

Vemma has always fascinated me. Not just because it targeted innocent college kids but also because of their overall smug, condescending attitude towards others. I thought I'd post this video for a laugh.

 

[The Great Citracett]

A guy I used to work with had a real nice little truck with a big sticker in the back window and a few others that just said "Verve!" I remember asking what that was and he didn't know, was there when he got the truck, and he got a hell of a deal on it.

Turns out it was a Vemma sticker and the reason he got such a good deal was the previous owners lost their ass so hard on that scam they had to sell the truck and a bunch of their other stuff to pay off some debts they racked up. The guy got the ugly stickers removed pretty quick.

Imagine the "verve" part, taking up the whole rear window. Tacky.

 

[MysticMisty]

That person sounds terrible. I can’t think of a worst gift than a smelly bear.

I know. Even if you don't have breathing problems, going to bed with a air freshener bag right next to your face sounds fucking awful and headache inducing. Which is basically what a scented bear or any other stuff animal is going to be.

 

[Martys_not_smarty]

 

[Cosmos]

A funny parody:

 

[Pina Colada]

As much as I love reading stories about people leaving the crab buckets, all those emojis and lowercase spelling drive my inner Grammar Nazi bonkers.

 

[Cosmos]

Spoiler: Large image

Obviously the whole post is messed up, but I fucking hate how hypocritical and oblivious to the truth these people are. If doctors are all scammers paid off by Big Pharma and don’t know anything, why did you take your child to the hospital in the first place? Why didn’t your woo oil bullshit cure the asthma? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy the child got real medical care, but I just think it’s both funny and infuriating that deep down these people seem to realize their ~natural cures~ are ineffective and real medical science is needed. But that won’t stop them from loudly condemning medical science and doctors on social media and trying to use essential oils in the hospital.

Now for a more light-hearted post...

Honestly, being a drug mule is the more lucrative option. Your product actually sells and you make money.

 

[Ido]

Spoiler: Large image

View attachment 964036

Obviously the whole post is messed up, but I fucking hate how hypocritical and oblivious to the truth these people are. If doctors are all scammers paid off by Big Pharma and don’t know anything, why did you take your child to the hospital in the first place? Why didn’t your woo oil bullshit cure the asthma? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy the child got real medical care, but I just think it’s both funny and infuriating that deep down these people seem to realize their ~natural cures~ are ineffective and real medical science is needed. But that won’t stop them from loudly condemning medical science and doctors on social media and trying to use essential oils in the hospital.

Anti flu shot people are the most infuriating, my mom is and I didn't get it until I took it into my own hands. What that lady is forgetting is that sure, you don't have to give your kid the flu shot, but when they get sick they're going to catch whatever the kid has, every time, and those stupid oils won't do shit.. If the vaccinate themselves, other than being a giant hypocrite asshole, they're going to be very unhappy cleaning up after their sick kids, who's patience will be running thinner the older they get. No matter what those essential oils aren't going to save an crumbling marriage, with sick and bitter children. I imagine she'll get tired of it once she gets sick enough times and finally takes or kids... or they die, which ever comes first.

 

[Daddy's Little Kitten]

I almost got roped into two: those Cutco knives and Panamerica.

Spoiler: TMI, maybe PL? I suppose

Cutco: I saw these flyers in college looking for people for sales and customer service. I was interested in a customer service position, so I managed to get an interview. They showed us a presentation on what they did and shit, and during it, some people got up and left. I thought it was weird, but I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Interviews were done in pairs and I got into sales. Training was done in three days. I went to the first two and thought it was too much effort for little reward (you had to go to people's houses and offer presentations. You also needed to buy a knife set I believe. How can a college student do this?) One thing I remember is how they would pay you: they had both base and commission rates, however, you only got paid one or the other. If your base was higher than comm, you got paid only base and vice versa.

Panamerica: I was about to lose my job when a customer handed me a card saying that they were looking for people. I did my research this time and it all seem sketchy, but I still went on with it. So, I get to the place and sit with others that I assume worked there (they looked all businessy, with iPads and shit). I sat through their presentation and got called with another girl they were interviewing. I don't remember much about what they were offering, but I knew where it was going and declined. The other girl got roped in sadly.

 

[JosephStalin]

One of my customers is a guy who's fallen for every MLM under the sun, from ACN to Kyani to WakeUpNow. He's also a huge conspiracy theorist who believes that chemtrails make us more vulnerable to spells cast by government witches.



I remember that episode of Beavis and Butt-Head. They kept buying candy bars from each other using the same dollar.

Kyani...oh, yeah. My wife and a bunch of her fellow church members got into that shit. I took a look at Kyani's "products" and just laughed. That was several years ago. Think we may still have one piece of Kyani shit in one of the kitchen cabinets.

 

[TaimuRadiu]

This seems appropriate for this thread

Christmas Play Prominently Features Essential Oils In Product Placement Deal

UPLAND, CA—In a lucrative product placement deal, Faithcurrents Community Church prominently featured several doTerra essential oils at several key moments during its annual nativity play, sources confirmed Monday.Rather than bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh, the Magi gifted doTerra...

babylonbee.com

 

[MysticMisty]

Anti flu shot people are the most infuriating, my mom is and I didn't get it until I took it into my own hands. What that lady is forgetting is that sure, you don't have to give your kid the flu shot, but when they get sick they're going to catch whatever the kid has, every time, and those stupid oils won't do shit.. If the vaccinate themselves, other than being a giant hypocrite asshole, they're going to be very unhappy cleaning up after their sick kids, who's patience will be running thinner the older they get. No matter what those essential oils aren't going to save an crumbling marriage, with sick and bitter children. I imagine she'll get tired of it once she gets sick enough times and finally takes or kids... or they die, which ever comes first.

It's worse than that because the kid is asthmatic. Asthmatics are extremely high risk in regards to the flu (and even colds) because they don't need to come down with pneumonia to have severe complications: just getting sick is more than enough to cause a major flare-up that requires a trip to the doctor. Even "just" allergies can, and will, trigger a major asthma episode, as happened to the above girl with the essential oils. And they're more at risk to getting pneumonia too. And it's extremely avoidable by avoiding lung irritants and preventing illnesses as much as possible.

 

[tasty humane burger]

Some ridiculous bossbabe followed me on Insta with this being their most recent post. This feels really predatory and guilt trippy but let's unpack these stupid points:

• People who cant afford a proper healthy food shop probably aren't spending £100 on dinner dates. They're probably like me in they do a semi healthy shop and bulk cook stuff to freeze and have a few cheap ready meals and freezer meals on the go, too. If they go out they'll have a groupon voucher and get a meal for two for £20 max. People deserve to have a nice meal out or a cheeky takeaway. Stop making poor people feel like shit for enjoying a treat and implying spending £100 a week on a food shop is an ideal to strive for. I would personally love to have £400 spare a month to either spend on fresh food.
• You can get supplements - if you need them, most folk dont - super cheap from a chemist or a supermarket. Your shitty woo woo suppliments only have quack evidence behind them, Karen, stop acting like they're natural. Also, who the fuck spends £100 a week on nights out? A bottle of wine in the house or a few drinks down the local pub is not very expensive. Coming back to the first point, I bet lots of people wished they had a spare £800 a month to spend on healthy food and alcohol but that really isn't a reality for most people. And if they did have that spare amount of money why would they be wasting their time pushing shitty products for slave wages?
• Anything that implies it is about personal growth or progression and costs £280 is a scam full stop. Have these people never heard of Scientology? Nobody in their right mind should pay that much for the horror that is a poorly produced MLM seminar. A lot of jobs offer personal development programmes for free and you can probably attend a much cheaper or even a free seminar oe course somewhere local. I struggle to see what normal person would be that desperate for a Gucci Belt. More likely they're gonna buy a fake one on Ebay for £28 if they do somehow think Gucci is classy.
• Again, most people aren't straight up buying the latest iPhone. A smartphone is essential in modern life and can also help with self employment, if that is the route you choose. Smartphones can also be bought on hire purchase or contract so that money is not coming out all at once. Gambling £1K into a business when around 20% of small businesses fail in their first year is illogical, especially when the business is an MLM and the rate of failure and loss is almost 100%.
• The gym and Netflix are not comparable. Netflix can be watched at home whilst doing housework, studying, looking after children or even exercising. Whilst most people probably could afford an hour out their day a few days a few to go to the gym, the stress of modern life is more easily managed by unwinding in front of the TV. Also, 1 hour at the gym turns into at least 2.5 hours out the house when you think of travel, getting changed, waiting about, etc.

 

[Niggernerd]

I almost got roped into two: those Cutco knives and Panamerica.

Spoiler: TMI, maybe PL? I suppose

Cutco: I saw these flyers in college looking for people for sales and customer service. I was interested in a customer service position, so I managed to get an interview. They showed us a presentation on what they did and shit, and during it, some people got up and left. I thought it was weird, but I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Interviews were done in pairs and I got into sales. Training was done in three days. I went to the first two and thought it was too much effort for little reward (you had to go to people's houses and offer presentations. You also needed to buy a knife set I believe. How can a college student do this?) One thing I remember is how they would pay you: they had both base and commission rates, however, you only got paid one or the other. If your base was higher than comm, you got paid only base and vice versa.

Panamerica: I was about to lose my job when a customer handed me a card saying that they were looking for people. I did my research this time and it all seem sketchy, but I still went on with it. So, I get to the place and sit with others that I assume worked there (they looked all businessy, with iPads and shit). I sat through their presentation and got called with another girl they were interviewing. I don't remember much about what they were offering, but I knew where it was going and declined. The other girl got roped in sadly.

I almost got wrapped up in Cutco (mainly because I was desperate for a job) but I wasn't that desperate so the night on the same day, I realized it was a scam and just never showed up and ignored the calls. Got an actual job instead.
I mean it already seemed sketchy when they brought up some company cruise vacation shit

 

[IBrokeBob]

I wanted to introduce ya'll to a high level younique presenter. She also sells beads for hundreds of dollars that she claims can cure diseases, mental illnesses and such. I think she claims she isnt selling the beads but just " providing a code" for them. She is 100% certifiably nuts. She gained attention for doing live streams while driving obnoxiously and obliviously.

But then she really went nuts with her scams. Kim and her friend Casey decided to run a donation drive thru a cash app ( instead of a legit/secured fundraising method). They went batchit crazy on a live video claiming that the money was needed for terminally ill teenagers who are wards of the state (so they smugly say as a reason why they cant reveal any names or details at all. They want money for a headstone for a dead girl or two but get offended when asked how much the headstone would cost.

Th e video below is by a woman named Ashlee who has her own channel about hating mlms and other topics. In the video you will see clips from the live presentation that kim posted. Kim ( the brunette) and Casey ( the blonde) did a livestream together as they spin this outrageous tale of terminally ill, incurable, end of life care teenagers ( 2 dead and 6 in the "hospital" ) who are in a segregated ward of the hospital, rooms with no tvs. Kim ( as a volunteer) claims has had to bathe them, buy clothes for them bcuz chemo caused them to have sweats that ate thru their clothes, buy mcdonalds for them so they can have one at least one good meal a day, buy headstones for all them when they die..... Are you starting to smell the bs yet?

Top Younique Presenter Stages Alleged Charity Scam?

Follow these Anti MLM Reddit forums! - r/Youniqueamua - r/antiMLM - r/YouniquedriverKM Follow AntiMLM on Twitter! Join the Anti-MLM movement!

www.youtube.com

I had to edit to add this video. It is a different but equally insane Younique presenter (Cassandra) having a meltdown during a live presentation. Its 2 minutes long and so worth it.

Younique Makeup Presenter From Hell Pt 2 (MELTDOWN)

Part One: https://youtu.be/hVKS6du4JIM

www.youtube.com

 

[The Un-Clit]

This is one of the best threads on the farms, there is no reason it should be dead. This is the perfect time to re-introduce it now that everyone's stuck at home in the covid panic.

 

[MirnaMinkoff]

This is one of the best threads on the farms, there is no reason it should be dead. This is the perfect time to re-introduce it now that everyone's stuck at home in the covid panic.

I’ll start posting screenshots of a FB group I was in that got over-run with very angry hons. There are groups on FB for letting ppl know about bad local sellers to avoid. Totally boring shit for years and then the hons brought in a ton of drama.

Apparently in an effort to keep their scam biz afloat they have tons of illegal “raffles” on FB in secret groups. Only in these raffles if you lose then you have to buy MLM crap from the “winners.” So, of course, you have all these broke ass hons entering the raffles, losing, and not buying any of the useless MLM crap they are supposed too...and this enrages the winning hons. The go to every “bad apples” or “buyer beware” groups in the USA to rage. A group I was in got over run by screeching huns reporting on non-paying raffle ppl that live 2,000 miles away.

Apparently they used to do these shady ass raffles on Pinterest but got booted off there due to the massive clusterfuck it caused, so they migrated to FB and I’m sure probably IG too.

Ill post screenshots when I get to my laptop. It’s particularly amusing when non-MLM ppl point out what a shitty business they are in if they have to depend on raffles forcing ppl to buy their stuff. It results in other huns piling in to defend it and how it would all be great if only these raffle losers would buy their shitty crap like they were supposed too.

The stupidity and denial is amazing. They really are just like cults.