Friend trying to recruit me into her MLM scheme

[reasonwith]

posting for traffic

I have recently been made furloughed by the company I work in as the job role I work in is struggling to pick up work for employees. DH is working but has taken a 30% pay cut so finances aren't strong at the moment. I have a friend who has devoted her life to home working in the last year but quit her job in January to work as an MLM 'team member' whatever that is.

I am fairly active on social media, and so is she, on several local Facebook groups. I run one group where it is rather a safe space for members to post - excluding MLM schemes and any other schemes that exploit people. My friend is a part of the group and usually is a compliant poster. However recently she has been messaging me, asking me if I'd like to join her MLM team. She is a recruiter so makes money from recruiting other people and when they pay in, she gets a percentage. I have refused, and she has kept on insisting. Today I logged onto Facebook and saw that she has now tried to recruit my group members and I immediately deleted the post and got rid of her.

She sent a grovelling message saying it was 'totally unfair and rude as MLM offer good working incentives in this current situation'. I retorted back and told her that she is exploiting a lot of furloughed people and unemployed people to pay an absurd money so she gets money!! After that she stopped replying. However, another friend of mine sent me screenshots of my 'friend' ranting on multiple groups about me, and calling for people to troll me and send me death threats.

She's even sent me a bloody invoice of the monthly payments you have to pay in for the MLMs. I have now blocked her and anyone who is associated with her so she can't use them to get into my head. I am livid. Please share any stories you have of MLM recruitment, so I can feel better.

Surely she was BU about this as she is trying to force me to sign up?

I like Avon products. The sales model is shit though and I feel sorry for anyone trying to make money off it (I tried it myself). I second the poster who suggested The Dream Season 1. Excellent podcast.

Typical bot response. No, corporate structure is not a pyramid scheme.

Sad to hear Shamrock’s standard response.

In a real job - you do not pay to join.

You get paid monthly or weekly for all the hours you put in.

Yes, the Chief Exec will be paid more than entry level but you will get at least minimum wage. You will not have to spend any money with the company. You will be entitled to holiday pay and sick pay.

You will not be encouraged to hassle your friends and family to buy said products.

So I have filed a police report, took me a day to think about whether I would want to pursue it but honestly I can’t imagine what the consequences would be if she carried on and made my life hell. What scares me is that the fact that these MLMs target women the most, especially single parents and honestly it’s the worst thing when you have been offered an opportunity but it’s a bogus scam and all you do is put money in and never get anything back. I don’t understand why the government hasn’t done anything to stop these, especially when they will probably see more people sign up during the pandemic.

@reasonwith I certainly think they work - I would always put lavender oil on a graze for example as it really does seem to help it heal quickly, but I wouldnt even consider using them to treat an illness (except stomach upset or something you wouldnt go to the dr for) so I couldn't say if they work as well as 'conventional' treatment.

Bouncingbelle

Lavender has long been shown to have some antiseptic properties, but the extortionate prices the MLM charges is ridiculous. You can get good quality oils online from reputable places at a fraction of the price. (And it's probably better quality than the stuff the MLM sells).

Oh, and unless it's certified as food grade, don't use the oils internally.

Ive got a 'friend' who has just signed up to be a Younique presenter....i'm actually enjoying reading the cringe worthy posts she's putting on fb....its providing valuable entertainment during this lockdown.

I'm a bot as I'm assuming this is what you call people in MLM. I get extremely frustrated with stupid people that make me cringe with their recruitment techniques! Do not make the mistake of tarring everyone in MLM with the same brush. Not everyone that starts a network marketing business is a professional. They get it wrong and paint a bad picture. It's fair game to whether you make money or not. High sales volume big paycheck from the company, it's not taken out of others percentage earnings. I'm not a high earner and I certainly do not pester family and friends. I've found the products beneficial and share my experience, if people are interested great if not it's not a bother. I'm also a carer for my daughter and I've found the support network to be amazing. Not everyone agrees with mlm companies just the same as not everyone agrees with how other companies operate! But it's each to their own and I for one respect anyone's opinions on mlm. And btw you've 100 % done the right thing contacting the police and also report to what ever MLM company she is a seller for! She needs to be struck off!! Stay safe all 🤗

A few years ago we had a friend selling the miracle coffee that cured so many ailments and gave you energy that you burn off fat without doing anything. I was absolutely sceptical. Most of my friends bought the said coffee at £50 a tin and were obsessed with it. The friend who sold it recruited more and more friends up and down the country. One day she dropped a sample round to me and I thought ok let's see what all the fuss is about. After one sachet I was feeling so wired I actually felt I was on speed (from back in the early 90s) I felt so awful I actually felt I could hurt myself so I went to bed with my husband checking on me. I looked more into the ingredients and it contained amphetamines and some other substances that were banned in some countries. This friend would post pics of her at the coffee conferences and treated the top man like a demi god. I had no hesitation in speaking my mind much the disgust of some. Months later she moved onto the next thing and the coffee phase fizzled out amongst my friends with them actually admitting it made them feel more poorly but they were desperate to either loose weight, cure their diabetes or fibromyalgia etc. It really really plays on things like this I absolutely hate them with a passion!

Watch ' Betting on zero' it's on Netflix. People are loosing 1000s on mlms. They target the most vulnerable. Also read Elle's poonique blog.

@Andpiglettoo Absolutely I didn't pay to join in my traditional job, but that's totally up the person whether you join it to do try it as MLM or not.
I hear you, @HailHydraI get paid a weekly salary with my current job, but the MLM is doing more of me in terms of personal growth & development (not brain washed actually is and people can see a change in me and the products do actually work for energy??) I was purely interested in product at first as it's back to my interest health & wellbeing again which my current job is not. Not all stories are this bad, alot doing well, and booming guys at the moment being online, no lie, it's how you look after people, surely my opinion counts as I'm on both sides of the fence as they say. I'm in no way hassling any of my current friends or family or encouraged to do so and I haven't had to lose any friends etc,I've gained more, anyone that does that, on simple terms does not know/understand true MLM and does not have to resort to that, the current one I'm in has a sign up fee of €60/£50/$52 etc etc. lowest product and one of my favs is €20 a month with compensation plan. I'm a strong independent single mother who fired question after question, have a traditional job, don't feel in anyway targeted or hassled, you don't want to join a call or message block or don't answer or a no thanks. Just wanted to give my view on my own personal experience so far. If you end up doing really well which people do and leave their current job then sick days and sick pay you don't have to worry about at all. My own health improved from these before I even seen the testimonials that they give of others so I know first hand for a fact it worked, and now for my kids. Doterra, Avon, I'm not sure of or familiar with, loved just purchasing Avon years ago, each to their own, even alot of middle aged and older get into these for something to do, would not like to see anyone losing money. Yes guys there is a business model type that includes access to bot you can tweak them but they help in terms of online marketing. You still be yourself at the end of the day, traditional business you pay big bucks for help with online marketing etc. Everything is a pyramid and not as such guys,work your way there if you want to, each to their own. I've got alot back with it so unless you signed up tried it, then it's not fair to have a go at them, especially in general, you could have had a bad experience with someone, ever go into a traditional business and find someones customers service manner awful and wonder how are they in the job? @reasonwith genuinely glad you did something about it as this level of craziness is not right and not nice for the rest of us.

Im surprised at the ladies admitting to being bots on here.....id rather cut my own limbs off than be part of these dishonest....tacky and embarrassing schemes !!!

well, the sun's out, we're all at home from our jobs, and now I'll give you another one - Utility Warehouse,the discount club, anyone? My cleaner has just become an Authorised Distributor and there can't be any catch cos Joanna Lumley is advertising it for free cos, you know, she does a LOT for charity

@Katinski - had no idea that was an MLM although it isn't obvious. If they do have 600,000 people signed up and do not advertise, my question is, how on earth have they managed this by word of mouth?

Many years ago, my mother used to get visits from the 'Kleenezee' man, who sold cleaning products, but in those days, it would not be considered MLM, because it was just a man with a suitcase selling stuff, who came to our door (like the old fashioned peddlar).
Tupperware and Avon, used to host parties to sell stuff, but I understand they have gone MLM these days.
I first heard about MLM, pre internet days, when a friend tried to get my DH and I involed with Amway. (of course we said NO).
The whole idea was based around recruiting others, who in turn would also recruit others. I kept asking what was actually being sold, and how good were the products, which did not seem to matter at all, more like an afterthought.
Conclusion, products were irrelevant, the aim was just to recruit a network.
Obviously with Social Media, MLM has a whole new meaning.

@myusernamewastakenbyme 🤣🤣 wouldn't suggest it but hey I might have something to patch you up after 🤣🤣

@Steffijo44 lol thank you...im sorry if my post came across as bitchy...but ive seen so many women lose money to these schemes....i really really hate them.

Just read this on a BBC article re AVON, it sounds like a tough way to make a living.

"To become an Avon representative, you need to pay a £16 start-up fee and receive 20 brochures and order slips. Reps then buy further Avon brochures on a sliding scale - costing from about £3 for five to £8 for 50. Sales reps take home 20% commission for orders over £78 and 25% for orders over £145. They can then build their own team of sales reps and become a sales leader - earning commission that increases as the team grows. Avon now sells clothes and accessories and other brands such as Hello Kitty and Lipsy alongside its own lines."

What is it about mlm that turns people into raving loons?
She sounds a right one op

Im surprised at the ladies admitting to being bots on here.....

I think they need others to believe so they can keep believing. The blocks of mostly bot-speak haven't changed my view.

I'd go straight to the police with those threats and also report her to FB.

Do not make the mistake of tarring everyone in MLM with the same brush. Not everyone that starts a network marketing business is a professional

Actually @Steffijo44 we shouldn’t make the mistake of attacking the distributors who have been tricked into these schemes (though some hardened bots deserve our anger), BUT we should tar ALL MLMs with the same brush including yours because their business model is fundamentally flawed. The structure of MLM is stacked towards recruitment; we know this because incentives are largely paid on purchases not retail sales. Ask an MLM what proportion of their cash is from end sales to people outside the scheme and they won’t be able to tell you. If you look at the Income Disclosures (some MLMs publish them, not all) then by their own admission around 80% earn around £500 a year before expenses. We know the reality is the losses are far greater, more like >99% of sign ups lose money; that is a scandal. But the chances are, if you’re on the brink of signing up to MLM they’ll steer you away from the ID document.

Of course it is possible to earn a lot of money, but what is obscured is the probability. This is dishonest. MLMs are very active at the moment because they’re hoping for a bonanza in recruitment during the current instability; what a potential disaster this will be for anyone signing up. They are also active at the moment with bogus “fundraising” for the NHS by getting people to buy product they then donate. This means profit and a boost to their status/achievement of monthly targets - this cynical behaviour is typical and is a sign that bots are driven to abandon any kind of moral compass to achieve difficult targets. The MLMs do not stop this behaviour - I’ve seen the memos to bots which say, don’t stop just don’t get caught. It’s an absolutely shitshow and the legislation needs to be tightened and brought into the internet age. They ARE pyramid schemes and the superficial trading of product means little.

People might find hashtag antimlm and antimlmmovement worth following on Twitter and also mlmtruth.org - there’s a master list there where you can check whether a company is MLM or not. Also worth reading what Robert FitzPatrick has to say about MLM.

Well at least the defenders of the MLM schemes have made it clear on here.

They are not entrepreneurs or business owners.

They are commission only sales reps.

Interesting that Tropic is an MLM. I went for a facial just before lockdown and the therapist was singing the praises of Tropic. Recommended it for my teen daughter and for me. I said that teen daughter had nice skin and what she currently uses suits her. But I was still advised to think about Tropic for her. I had no idea it was a MLM. I'll know not to listen when I eventually go back!