To think this is definitely a scam?

[UrgentExitRequired]

Although I dont know much about pyramid schemes, I know that they're illegal and people always (?) lose money.

Friend has invited me to this thing, saying that if I put in £78 in 4 weeks I'll make over 50k. This to me seems obviously batshit. Not exactly sure how to tell her because I dont have experience of these things myself but I know it doesn't sound right. She is gently nudging me towards signing up and joining the video conference call by some random person. Apparently this is a good way for our community to make money like other community groups do, so it's sort if secret and only discussed with people you trust.

How can I help her see that this is a bloody scam!!?! I will not be parting with a penny.

If you could turn £78 into £50000 in would you be telling other people?

Did she lean too hard on the zero button? I think she meant £50.

The idea is that she brings me in, and I bring another 2 people (I think) in and so on and so on. So, in order to get the 50k you need to bring other people in so that they can put in. I think that was my understanding anyway. @

Sadly not hahahah @iklboo she genuinely feels like she is going to make this money so long as everyone puts in, including me. I just want to be able to tell her that this is a scam in a way that she will definitely take note

Pyramid scheme. This happened at a place I worked at years ago, can't believe it's still going on. IIRC the woman at the top of the pyramid made a mint (brand new car etc) and the people a lot further down lost their money and never got it back. I gave it a very wide berth.

It's a pyramid scheme. They don't work because, for example, if you have to bring in 5 people then they have to bring in 5 people, it only takes 16 cycles of that to mean you need more people than currently exist in the world. Including babies.

Honestly there's nothing you can do. When people have been taken in by this they are usually a bit desperate and beyond help. All you can do is keep out of it and warn friends to not answer calls and texts about it. Offer support to her more widely as a friend as you usually would but simply refuse to engage on the scam.

Yep, pyramid scheme.

Should be illegally. It's daylight robbery. I feel so sorry for the people who are sucked in by this.

Illegal*

Instead of telling her it's a scam (which might trigger a defensive response), tell her it's a pyramid scheme, and send her a link to a neutral source for more information, e.g. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_scheme

OP - if you're having to ask if something is too good to be true, then the answer is always yes.

This is literally the definition of a pyramid scheme. At least with MLMs there's an actual product, this isn't even trying to pretend it's anything else!

this is literally the definition of pyramid scheme.

Ha Bathroom crosspost

Yep, a pyramid scheme.
You'll lose. You'll be left with having to find more people to stump up money to pay to you.

Trouble is, if you don't do it, your friend might blame you for breaking the pyramid.

This is why these schemes are so shitty.

You are not going to change someones mind on thinking they have the next easy way of making money, just step back and tell them you will wait for proof in 4 weeks for a 50k income.

It isn't for you to try and tell your friends falling for the easy scams they are actual scams, it's to be pretend surprised when they come around to the idea that it is just MLM., you will not break the MLM narrative being an outsider, especially as now the narrative is being uni educated is being a sead in fluffing the ego.

Pyramid scheme. If it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true.

It is a pyramid scheme. And it is also illegal.

The numbers never add up. There was one a few years back called "Women Empowering Women"

Yep, I wouldn't touch that with a barge poll.

@iklboo

Did she lean too hard on the zero button? I think she meant £50.

£0.50 more like.

Also, if everyone invests £78 then you need 642 people to get £50.000.

1 = 1
2 = 3
3 = 7
4 = 15
5 = 31
6 = 63
7 = 127
8 = 255
9 = 511
10 = 1023
11 = 2047
12 = 4095
13= 8191
14 = 16383
15 = 32767

By the time you get to level 20, you need more than a million people.

If you have to ask if it's a scam, then it's a scam. If your friend is sold on it, sad to say there's probably not much you can do but be there for her when it all goes to hell and try not to be 'I told you so'.

Some good advice here. Thanks @craksappearing

And yes I do think she is too deep in and all I can do is be there for her when I flops.

@HalfCakeHalfBiscuit

It is a pyramid scheme. And it is also illegal.

The numbers never add up. There was one a few years back called "Women Empowering Women"

Yes! That’s exactly what the one that I remember was called. Good grief it’s all flooding back now. You had to buy hearts on a piece of paper IIRC, and write your name in them.