I put my resume up on Mosnter recently to see what i could catch and i got a call from a Primerica rep. I thought hmmm until i started doing research and heard some stories from ppl i know.........needless to say i never returned the call.

Also my brother and his wife was soooo heavily involved in Amway we all thought they were brainwashed until he woke up one day and got a clue. It was horrible , she ( my sister in law) would be in my house and look at the things i buy and say oooo you buy brand x you should be using this from Amway. I invited her to a Creative memories party once because heck i needed and wanted a new scrapbook to start a new album and more sales at my party the more i get....anyhow, she said no in a polite way because it would go against anything amway taught them or sold. They alienated family and friends with that crap. One of their longest dearest friedns was selling princess house and she did the same thing to her too. told her no and she would not buy anything that isnt backed by Amway. It drove us all NUTS. Though he finally woke up and realized how this pyramid scheme was controlling everything they did and family and friends being driven off by it all

My best friend's brother was briefly interested in Quixtar and I went to a presentation only as a favor to her. The man giving the presentation said something like "Well, if you always buy Pop-Tarts, you won't buy them from the store anymore, you will buy them from us." He said Pop-Tarts about a dozen times during the evening. It was like he couldn't think of any other examples of what people buy. I swear, it turned me against Pop-Tarts!:rolleyes:

bumping this thread...

It's been nearly a year since I started this thread. In that time, I have barely spoken to the friend involved.

Ran into her the other night at the mall- she was on her way to a "business meeting"... and she's still as brainwashed as ever. Still thinks this "business" is going to make her into a millionaire. The topic of dating came up, she went on and on about how she's so busy with her business, and that she knows the man she ends up marrying will be someone from her business!!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: It's not like she has her eye on someone on particular... it's more like marrying one of her own!

The business has done wonder for her self esteem- she's lost 80 pounds! but brainwashing isn't worth the extra self esteem. That seems how a lot of cults work.... feed someone's need to feel important....

Just sad that she's still under their thumb :(

kddani,

how is she doing financially right now? is she actually making money and making a good living? or is it "slow" right now and she's hoping it will eventually pick up so she can become a millionaire?

I really don't know, I didn't want to ask. She's still living at home, instead of in her own place. She's still working a "normal" job... I remember last year how she was all saying oh, i'm just keeping my job for a few more months until I get my business off the ground.

Another sign it's gone too far... when talking about her weight loss, I said oh, are you also at the mall to pick up some new clothes, that must be so fun. Nope, she's only trying on clothes to see what size she is so she can order from her business...

The owners of the business pratically built our town so I'm not complaining:D

in pursuit of the almighty dollar
 

Here is a transcript of a report that was on Dateline NBC last year that went undercover with Quixtar (really Amway under a new incarnation):
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4375477/

And lawmakers response to the report:
http://www.pyramidschemealert.org/PS...ommissLtr.html

Interesting site called MLMSurvivor -
http://www.mlmsurvivor.com/news.htm

Here is a list of MLM to at least be wary of (many of them are those infomercials that come on at night):
http://www.mlmresources.com/html/mlm...home_pages.asp


A friend of mine was involved in Nutrition For Life, Intl back in college -- he was convinced by Kevin Trudeau's salesmanship that he would become rich selling these nutritional lifestyle products and he too went to a lot of "motivational conferences" that cost a lot of money. A friend he really trusted got him into; they were both debators and very persuasive people, he eventually realized how much money he was losing and gave it up. He is now an investment banker :)

Just an FYI - Primerica is a wholly-owned marketing arm of CitiGroup. It's a multi-level marketing scheme, and while a sleect few are raking from it, the only people actually getting rich are the ones selling life insurance for citi. If you know anyone who gets involved, I'll personally come to your place and whack you with a rake if you refinance through them - it's an absolute joke.

Don't get involved with Multi-Level Marketing scams.

We have a friend who's gotten involved with this. He's in so deep that he can't/won't accept the fact that maybe it's not a good idea. It's seriously consuming his life. :(

When I last posted in this thread, I mentioned a couple who were selling Amway (or Quixtar, whatever) and tried to recruit my husband and me. A couple of months ago, they tried again! We again made it clear that we weren't interested. We haven't heard from them since.

I have a friend who is a SAHM and sells Tupperware for a little extra $. She often does "party swaps" with people who sell other products - for instance, she hosted a Partylite party in her house, then ran a Tupperware party at the Partylite consultant's home. She once tried to set up a party swap with a Quixtar salesperson. The response: "That's not the Quixtar way."

I know someone who is involved with Primerica and insists on trying to sell me insurance. Every time I see him, he brings it up, and every time, I say no. It's an uncomfortable situation.

Ugh, I ALMOST repeat ALMOST got caught up with one of those schemes - I cant believe they almost got me!

My senior year of college, when I was in the dead heat of interviewing for jobs, I got a call from this "environmental company" to come to interview for a job. Being that I was a chemical engineering major, working in the environmental field was right down my alley. They told me that "a professor" gave them my name. :rolleyes:

So I drive down there for 20 minutes or so wearing my "power interview suit"...yall know, everybody has at least one of those by the time they graduate. I walk in there ready to give a great interview and they are selling environmental crap! Come to find out they were an Equinox Company disguised as an "environmental company" and my COUSIN gave them my name!!!

I WAS TOO PISSED :mad:

Another warning is for people in the Marketing/Advertising field. If a job that's posted on Monster or CareerBuilders looks shady or too good to be true, it probably is. My favorite is the jobs that are in bold and all capital letters that say "Entry-Level Marketing. No Experience Necessary."
A friend of mine applied and got invited for an interview. The told her to wear comfortable shoes since she'd be spending the whole day with the company watching what they do on a daily basis. Comfortable shoes to an interview? That still didn't give her a clue that something was wrong.
The interviewer tells her that he's going to be meeting clients in DeLand (1 hour out of Orlando) and tells her to come along.
Turns out that the company specializes in selling coupon books door-to-door. The "clients" this guy had to meet with were whoever happened to be home that day. My poor friend went door-to-door with guy in the pouring rain in her new business suit that she had bought for the interview.
She called me crying at the end of the day. I think the company was Wentworth or Marketing Dynamics or something like that.

The same thing happened to my friend, but he and another applicant spent the day with an employee soliciting in the dorms at Georgetown University, which is illegal. They got caught, and banned from campus and will be arrested if they are caught on GU property again. The employee actually went back into the dorms after they got caught, however my friend and the other girl walked the 2 miles to the metro so they could go back to the office and get their cars, and get the hell out of there.

Not only did I apply to and interview with a company like that, I worked there for three weeks! Well, it wasn't three full weeks..I was at my old job part-time for two of the three weeks. When I was hired I was told as a management trainee, I'd be going out in the field for a couple weeks just so I could "see what the salespeople do so I could relate to them." Going out in the field=door to door sales of coupon books. Oh boy, did it ever suck. I had to be there at 9:30 or so for meetings, then I'd go out and was expected to be out til about 7 or so, then came back for more meetings. It was VERY cultlike. Everyone was talking about how they were going to run their own offices and stuff and if you were really good, you got to go on a "business trip" to somewhere in the middle of nowhere, staying five or six to a hotel room, doing door to door sales there for a couple weeks. I never went on one. :) During the third week I talked to one of the guys and found out that not only was he still doing door-to-door sales, he had been doing it for two years! I quit the next day...went in to turn in something (I forgot what) and left, never to return. That's the only job I ever walked out on.

EXACTLY! This is why I won't make the big bucks. I let people know that I'm a consultant with MK but I don't want to impose myself on them. If they are interested in the products, they can let me know. I had a cousin tell me that she needed a foundation and I dropped it off for her (as well as some other products as gifts). A friend needed help with her skin and I sent her samples - and she purchased some of the products that I sent samples of - but she also knew that she didn't have to. I KNOW that my family would help me out by hosting a show or something like that, but I don't want them to do that so I just don't ask - and what I have been told is that you aren't imposing, that you are offering a service. True, but I still don't feel right. There is also the whole inventory thing. Yes, if you are able to sell a lot you should be buying products from the company, but a LOT of people buy because they feel pressured to, etc.

Now, to go along with the comment about staying away from negative people. This is partially true. You shouldn't avoid negative people to the point of alientation, HOWEVER I know that if I hang around negative people for too long that I get bitter and then its time for me to stay away from them for a while (this includes my parents!).

Anyway, that's my little $.02 worth of this discussion.

It's a freaking pyramid scam

Just saw a commercial during the Macy's parade for Amway... touting how great it is, how they had $7 billion in sales, allowed people to start their own businesses, etc. Made me remember this thread.

The "your own business" stuff is crap. You're a salesperson for them. It's not your own business.

^^^^ Ooooooh you about to have 10,000 posts!

So anyway, I met this lady at the post office who, as it turns out, was a fellow Greek. So we have a conversation and she tells me that she has this fundraiser for nonprofits. As a fundraiser, I'm like cool, tell me more.

So she comes over and we talk and it's an MLM!!!! UGH! Basically they wanted my job to buy a website portal for FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS (Our real website didn't even cost that much!) and then convince our friends to only book their vacations through our site.

What might have actually worked is if my job sponsored trips for fun and took a portion of the proceeds. But no, that wasn't the plan.

I felt so.... I dunno.... betrayed.... how can you prey on a small nonprofit and ask us to shell out that kind of money that we could NEVER make back unless it was a full-time endeavor.

Amway is a great business that does a lot of good for a lot of people. There's a reason for their success - businesses that are scams don't last that long.

It's a lot different from many MLM systems, because you don't put any money down - no "give us $1000 and we will make that back for you five times over!".

I don't work for them or anything, but I do think that they are a great business.

Somebody needs to step back from the kool aid...

i have a few sorors who do this stuff. two does Creative Memories, and one does Quixtar with her husband, another greek. They got me to go to one of their "informational meetings" and it was a freaking pony show of "making all your financial dreams come true." even if it means getting others to sell off-brand detergent, cookies and tampons.

Creative Memories doesnt seem as bad, but the sorors who do sell for them have quit. One is having a baby, the other started her masters. Theyre both good at selling the products (and honestly isnt nearly as sketch as Quixtar) but do admit its a big time commitment, bigger than most average, working people can commit.

I also have a soror who sells Mary Kay. She's not sketch at all, and really doesnt buy into the rules. she doesnt do any of her presentations by the book, but promotes the products she really likes and what she thinks would work. I've bought from her no problem.

Oh, and i have two OTHER sorors who sells Avon and Silpada jewelry, respectively. Though there's a difference between multi-level marketing, pyramid schemes and direct sales. I personally think Silpada is expensive, and am also not big on jewelry. Also not a huge fan of MK makeup and damn sure dont need any Quixtar mess.

i went to a quixtar presentation with a friend of mine back when i was in college. he was approached by some stranger at the grocery store asking if he needed a job. dumbass friend gave the guy his number. they call him the next day and asked if he could come to an information session held at a nearby hotel and to bring other people if he wanted. so i went to see what this was all about. when i saw that this had something to do with sales, i wanted to leave right away. when we walked out of the room, they had all of their reps standing outside and ready to sign us up. we said no thanks, but they still insisted we take home some information package and to think about it.

well, the stranger that my friend met at the grocery store calls him the next day to ask if he was still interested. he said no. the guy then says that he needed the information package back. my friend said fine and told him that he could pick it up later that night at a nearby starbucks since he was going to be there studying anyways. this time the quixtar rep brought someone else with him to do the talking. they even brought with them copies of checks to show that this was for real. the guy calls back the next day and leaves a message on my friend's phone saying that the CD was not returned with the information package. i remember taking it out of the package because it was titled "the next millionaires" so i can watch it, lol. my friend never called the guy back and i think the rep called 1-2 more times for the CD.

You might be their salesperson, but you do get a percentage of what people buy from your "business." My uncle does the whole Quixtar thing, and he makes a good amount of money from it.

What about all of the people that it has hurt? People that it has ruined financially? People who were brainwashed and driven away from their families because it has just taken over their lives? I've seen it first hand.

Salespeople get a percentage of what people buy from their "business". It's called commission. Just like a car salesman, etc.

Wow that sucks! I'm sorry that happened to whoever you know. But at the same time, did they rely on it as their sole source of income? I see it as comparable to any type of small business, there is always a chance of failure.

I have tried Quixtar and I know that I am not the type of person who could do it as my only source of income.

Well then, I wish I could make the ~$25-50,000 my uncle makes in "commission."

In Quixtar? I doubt it. As I said...you do not put any money down. Where are you losing?

Can I use this space to vent once more about the people who only sign up for GLO private sides/yahoogroups/facebook to plug their MLM business?

One of my sisters is a district director w/ Mary Kay but she is very respectful about not pushing it and she always contributes to the discussion of the subject at hand. The people who never say anything except telling you where their next sale is are the ones that irk me.

Has anyone mentioned Prepaid Legal? I stay the hell away from anyone who says they sell prepaid legal. The funniest thing is when they have business cards.

There's another thread about MaryKay so I won't go on that tangent here. I like the products and I have a friend who sells it. The customer appreciation gatherings are great because of the free products. Buuuuuuut, it never fails that it turns into a recruitment meeting and I end up having to be rude to the women who won't leave me the hell alone. Nooooo...I am not going to sell and noooooooooo it doesn't matter how much you try to talk me into it. And nooooooooo I don't mind being rude to you if you don't leave me the hell alone.

So your time has absolutely no value?

You're unwilling to receive full dispensation for sweat equity, while the people above you take a cut for literally no reason?

MLM scams usually require little to no start-up . . . it's the lost opportunity and the crappy pay that makes them suck.

what is prepaid legal? How could you possibly pay in advance for a lawyer? Or probably not a lawyer.

You wear Mary Kay?

We were members of PPL for a while, and it actually did come in handy. We signed up for help in starting our own business (they reviewed our documents etc.)

But it did come in real handy when we had trouble with Wells Fargo. We had paid off our car, and it cleared our account, but they refused to credit it to our account. We got ahold of the fraud department of our bank, and they proved that Wells Fargo had actually cashed the check, but Wells Fargo refused to make any changes to the account. We got ahold of PPL, and within a few weeks we had credit, and a letter of apology. ETA--It was about $2k in question.

We no longer have PPL, but it did work for us. We didn't sell it though. I have been through Monavie and Primerica, and I even sold Mary Kay for a while. I'd never do another MLM.

Thanks for the link. Yikes. Who would get a lawyer for a speeding ticket anyway?

glad it worked out for you, then

Generally speaking, the people whom it worked for are people who didn't need PPL anyway. PPL may've been a viable alternative but not their only option.

In many areas, PPL tends to target lower income and down-and-out sellers and customers. These are individuals who are desperate for SOMETHING. These are also individuals who tend to waste a lot of time and money, unless they put 100% in it because they have no other alternatives.

oh...okay

you mean desperate for something in their lives in general, or desperate for legal services?

Plenty of people. Depending on the extent of the speeding, the cost of hiring a lawyer to plea bargain and get a pjc (prayer for judgment continued) is worth it to avoid the cost of increased insurance premiums that would result from a conviction for speeding.

... plus the Almighty Driver's License Points. Or losing a CDL/permit/certification. And, as the coup d'grace, if you're after the Holy Grail (charitable contribution in lieu of ticket/fine), you're best off with someone who is intimately familiar with the Court.

I am a member of PPL, and know someone - college-educated, r94j34ntop salesman for a Fortune 500 company - who is doing it in his retirement. I have been VERY happy with it - in fact, it turns out a friend who is a lawyer is on their "team" and has nothing but praise for the company. The identify theft division has turned about to be very effective for a friend who had her identity stolen (unlike Lifelock, which IS a scam). Summer's experience is similiar to many I know who have PPL -

What part of it do you consider a "scam"?

Your time has value, but how can it ruin you financially? Maybe people you all know have gone to really crappy business meetings that make it seem 100% foolproof. But the good business meetings will let you know that it isn't. They'll give you some statistics about how 'successful' you'll be (like that out of every 10 people you introduce to Quixtar only 1 will actually use it).

Again I compare it to small business. Not all small businesses succeed--not all Quixtar endeavors succeed. To me it's common sense to continue to have a stable job while you pursue Quixtar. If your friends didn't have that type of common sense, well i'm sorry. But it isn't Quixtar's fault. They don't decide how successful you'll be, you do.


ETA: and by 'you' it's a general you, it's not directed towards you KSig