To think my friend is being scammed?

[chesarasara]

She’s been trying to get me to join her work from home business for a while and after looking into it for a bit I’ve politely but firmly said no. But she won’t let it drop asking why I won’t join her and now I’ve bluntly told her that I think the whole thing is a pyramid scheme style scam and she’s throwing her money away.

We’ve been good friends for years but she has changed so much since she joined this MLM business 6 months ago. Constantly posting inspirational memes on FB and boasting about how much money she’s making. But I know she’s lying as my DH and her DH are also friends and he’s confided how much debt they are in. I’m both so worried for her and worried that our friendship won’t survive if I don’t fork out the £200 for the business in a box and join her.

[Trills]

DO NOT DO IT

[catfordbetty]

Would your financial commitment end after the first £200? I'll bet it wouldn't. You've made the right decision not to get involved - stick to it.

[FlameProofBoots]

I did PC for a while and spent more on goodies than I ever made. Some of the women at the top made a living from it but you will always have many more at the bottom losing out.

[Trills]

She might not be ready to hear that she is being scammed (she is, by the way)

But you are under no obligation to join in.

No reasonable person would stop being your friend just because you didn't want to join in on selling beauty products or whatever this is.

If she is being told that you are not a real friend if you won't join, ask her who is telling her this and whether this sounds like the sort of thing that a legitimate business would say.

If it were really great for making money, they would simply say "what a shame for you, you're missing out" , not "if you don't join you can't be my friend any more".

[FlameProofBoots]

Still, at least I kitted my entire kitchen out in fancy gadgets...

[Curiouserandcuriouser30]

Yes it is a scam. Do NOT join!

[OryxNotCrake]

If your friendship can't survive you turning down her business 'opportunity' then it's not much of s friendship is it?

I'd distance yourself from her anyway. These schemes encourage those who sign up to exploit their 'network' (i.e, friends). It seems she's only interested in you for your cash at the moment. Sorry to be blunt.

[RaeSkywalker]

Please don't join!

[AssembleTheMinions]

It's forever living isn't it?

[chesarasara]

I do think its a scam but I could also call it a cult as the way her personality has changed so quickly is scary.

I just want my friend back.

[bittapitta]

There are good threads in the Money Matters boards on this.

[chesarasara]

Yes Assemble its Forever Living, never heard of them until my friend joined and now my FB feed is full of posts about Forever!

[bittapitta]

Eg here, have a read of the links too OP www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/2533438-MLM-bot-watch-Continued-discussion-of-the-network-marketing-companies-Forever-Living-Herbal-Life-Juice-Plus-etc-as-a-pyramid-scheme-or-scam

[chesarasara]

I'll have a read bittapitta.

But if it is such a scam why does she not see that?

[BlueJug]

Don't join. MLM is a disaster fro all but a few.

Just be there to support her when she finally pulls out and gives it up.

[Trills]

It's a good question - if she is being told to lie about how much money she is making, why does she not see that something is wrong here?

[AssembleTheMinions]

Thought so. I have a couple of them kicking around on fb. Complete brainwashed.

They pimp out their kids on a regular basis, holding the products, using the products and actually drinking the disgusting gloop. They use the same phrases and buzz words. One is also targeting mums on maternity leave with endless shite about 'never missing a moment'

Run. Fast.

[bittapitta]

Your friend has been recruited, she has the wool over her eyes and the initial flush of excitement of a new project. I'd advise you to hide posts from her on FB tbh.

[bittapitta]

Oh I hate it when they use kids in their promo photos. Makes me sad.

[TenTinyTadpoles]

The daughter of a friend was doing that forever living thing, her mum kept on sharing posts about it on FB and it all got very tiresome, I've not seen it mentioned for a while, maybe it's died a death. I can't remembering setting my FB to hide forever living.,

[Russellgroupserf]

What is forever living? I don't have FB so don't have a clue and dont want to google it.

[AnchorDownDeepBreath]

She bought into it, and believed she'd make money from it. She's now in a lot of debt, and she's realised that the only way that she will make any money out of it is to recruit enough people. At this point, she's too desperate to be able to walk away, and she needs to save face and not look like she's made a mistake, so she convinces herself that if a few friends sign up - and they'll only need to sign up for the beginner package like she did - then she'll break even and you'll only need to recruit a few people and you'll break even too, and then everyone wins.

Her alternative is admitting she got it wrong and that she's got them into lots of debt with no solution, which would be incredibly difficult to do.

Don't fall for it, though. It's a one way Street to disaster.

[chesarasara]

Glad I plucked up courage to post her now, never thought I'd get such a clear response from AIBU!

[chesarasara]

'here' not 'her'. Fecking typos.

[Hygge]

She's willing to sell you into debt as well to make her own money back.

She's the one not being a real friend.

Paying £200 to some sort of scam pyramid scheme isn't worth it to save a friendship with someone treating you so badly.

She needs to respect your decision to say no.