Have people finally got wise about MLM schemes?

[Cleaningupthemess]

I just realised the SM I’m on aren’t full of Younique, Forever Living etc. There’s also not the threads on here about being hounded by friends who are constantly trying to flog stuff and sign them up. Have the documentaries and articles about it burst the bubble or is it just the people I know that are no longer part of any. I was thinking how lovely it is to not have catalogues posted through my door or to be collared by people inviting me to grim evenings etc.

I hope being have stopped being scammed by them.

I saw a documentary on iPlayer from 2019 by an undercover journalist which made me realise how blissfully quiet it all seems now. Evil things.

It does look like the game is up now doesn't it 😁

My friend has just switched from bodyshop to one which screams mlm. I've not said anything. It's actually working for her. But it makes me cringe so hard inside.

Oh you're right actually, I hadn't thought about it for a while. There was someone on here the other day asking about selling Usborne books and sounded like they would definitely do it. I had to unfollow someone who was plugging Kangen water about six months ago and that was disappointing as it had been someone who had previously seemed so anti MLM and switched on. But apart from that it has been blissfully quiet.

I think people must know that in a cost of living crisis they will be unlikely to get even the initial round of guilt and pity purchases from family and friends, let alone any further sales.

I think it's just easier to get a conventional job at the moment.

The heyday of MLMs was in the years after the credit crunch when the job market was a lot tighter than it is today.

There was a flurry of "travel consultants " a few years back, a couple of my friends got sucked into it and I've had a few randomers trying to add me on faceyB flogging Younique but yes it does seem to have fallen away now, thank god

There's a lot of anti-mlm content on social media, I've noticed YT especially. Maybe it's having an impact. Hopefully.

I wonder if it has just reached saturation point…anyone who was going to fall for MLM would have tried it by now.

so many people will have given it a shot and realised they couldn’t make any money out of it.

the younger generation are all trying to make money on Only fans or TikTok!

I'm not so sure. There's still plenty of 'I'm looking for 10 women who want to lose weight' /become an independent travel agent posts on my local FB groups which get 20/30 responses.

I suppose the difference is perhaps with younique etc is that the customer base is lost because a lot of people can't justify buying a new cosmetic product right now.

(my friend stopped speaking to me as I wouldn't buy tropic products from her. They were really expensive)

I think there's been a lot of anti-MLM content on SM and in the news or on YouTube/Amazon prime etc.

That will contribute to reduced interest plus the cost of living crisis. However, I'm mindful of a quote from an anti-MLM expert whose name I can't remember but I think he was on the Amazon Lularich programme who said "MLMs are like hydras, cut off a head and another springs up elsewhere".

They're essentially cult-like and cults always capitalise on other people's weaknesses and seem to offer solutions, including financial. So socioeconomic crises can also feed MLMs.

Edit - I also think that what is different to the past is the whole "youtube vlogging/family vlogging" idea where SAHM or part-time working Mums who would previously have been prey for MLMs are now seeing social media as a source of income or fantastic wealth (often incorrectly but that's another thread lol).

I've still got a tropic one on my fbook and there's a "mortgage advisor" who used to be a "travel agent". But yes, a lot of the wax melt dickheads have erm...melted away

There's a lady on our local Facebook group who sells FM fragrances. Well I say 'sells' but nobody ever seems to be interested.

She always seems to have a sale on too - all very DFS!

Do you remember what it was called?

The only one I see right now is people advertising "jobs" as an independent travel agent. That screams mlm

@Startyabastard there was one called Secrets of the Multi-Level Millionaires: Ellie Undercover.

I think it's has quietened down but I was recently invited to a Neals Yard party and a colleague does sensai( sp?) home fragrance so after not hearing anything of mlm since before covid it seems to be picking up again!

I still see one flogging arbonne but I’ve unfollowed her now, she did the rounds at baby groups to try and sign up new mums. And then another flogging body shop products but that’s it actually. I used to see loads of the travel agents and Herbalife is still alive and well in gyms it seems!

It’s all Tropic now. Sooooo much Tropic. Do like some of the products though.

FM number 45 is lovely - forget what it's meant to resemble.

I still see a fair few on FB.

One lady selling Scentsy. Posts about it a lot. Talks about them being a Scentsy family. I'm pretty sure all her sales are from her and her mum. Her kids have a crazy amount of the highly scented cuddly toys. I always want to ask her how much she's spent personally. It's like she's buying a feeling of community/family by being part of the mlm which is really sad as she's a nice lady at heart.

Another lady, also Scentsy but less frequent posts.

Oh and a FB group I'm in for bargains, the lady running the group signed up fm perfumes and started posting in the group about it. A group full of parents struggling with money. Cringe city.

I do think less people are taken in now though than used to be, thankfully!

There's always someone trying to flog Avon glimmer sticks in style and beauty

There was a post for one on our local Facebook page the other day. It turned into a bit of a bunfight when someone challenged the poster. It was a perfume one (can't remember the name)

They've moved onto Utility Warehouse and coaching each other to become coaches who launch themselves as coaches who coach coaches to launch themselves as coaches who coach coaches

I don't see them as much in my immediate circle any more but I think that's my life stage as they mainly seem to target mums of young DC, mine are grown up now. Still see them flogging stuff or trying to recruit in local FB groups.