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SCAMBUSTER Series - Feature Article 17 
 

Multi-level marketing scams

Source: www.scamdex.com  

Online Pyramid & Multi-Level Marketing Scams

The Multi-level Marketing scam which is more known as the pyramid scheme describes the situation where individuals are recruited by other individuals to pay a monthly fee to recruit other individuals into a program. There are not usually any goods or services that are to be sold. Individuals are promised money based on the number of individuals they are recruited only to find in the end that the organizer disappears with the monthly fees. This scam has been practice and outlawed for years outside the web in many countries around the world. Now this scam has arrived on the web scene.

Here are some tips to follow to avoid falling into this scam:

  • Never invest in something which yields a return based on recruiting other individuals. This is a telltale sign that you are dealing with a pyramid scheme. If you are not selling a product or a legitimate service then be on-guard.

  • Don't be fooled by a company with a flashy website. Websites can be established quickly and cheaply on the net. Such sites can disappear as quickly as they appeared.

  • Be wary of programs that require you to purchase a great deal of inventory upfront. If you can find buyers for these goods, you might find yourself with inventory and no buyers if the program disappears.

  • If the program represents that you will not have to spend much time or that the program relies on the effort of those you recruit, then chances are that the scheme is a pyramid scheme.

  • These programs rely on "singers" who tout the plans as earning them a great deal of earnings with little effort. These people are usual paid by the company or are involved in the scams themselves. They are paid to entice you into the program.

  • Never be pressured into doing anything hastily without the time to think it over and to discuss it with your partner or advisor. If the opportunity is worth it, it won't disappear overnight. Further don't be lulled into a false sense of security even if a friend of yours has been recruited. They might not have had the benefit of this information.

  • Finally, if you think you have been scammed, report the scam to our Complaint Centre and your local Better Business Bureau. You may also want to contact your local Enforcement Agency to assist you in investigating the scam

Tips for Online Investing

  • Check to see if there are any prior complaints against the company whose shares you are intending to purchase. Call the applicable stock exchange or securities commission which keep records of prior complaints against public companies. Also check Scamdex's Complaint Database.

  • Order financial records of the company to determine its financial position. Read all of the company's information circulars, prospectuses and annual reports which will give you information about the company's operations.

  • Ask your broker about the company. The broker will have access to public information of the company and can assist you in determining what type of company you are dealing with.

  • Determine whether the company's shares are thinly traded. If the company's trading volumes are low, this is a sign that you are dealing with a speculative company, whose share prices can be easily manipulated on little trading volumes.

  • Ignore rumors and hot tips. Rely solely on actual facts based on official press releases and other official documents of the company. Be aware that in some cases promoters have fraudulently issued press releases containing false information to inflate the share price of a company.

  • Be wary of any promotion of a stock found in bulletin boards, newsgroups, newsletters or emails unless you know the persons disseminating such information.

  • Don't be pressured into buying any stock or lured by promises of guaranteed profits at no risk. Nothing in life is guaranteed.

  • Ask the promoter whether he or she is being paid by the company to promote a stock. This includes questioning the author of newsletters or emails.

  • Don't assume people are what they say they are. Always do your own research and make informed decisions based on fact.

  • Finally, if you think you have been scammed, report the scam to our Complaint Centre and your local Better Business Bureau. You may also want to contact your local Enforcement Agency to assist you in investigating the scam.
  • Scams offering free stocks

    Source: www.scamdex.com  

    Free Stock Offerings

    Promoters have become innovative in promoting stock they are paid to promote. "Free Stock" offerings have made their way onto the internet.

    What is a "free stock" offering? Promoters give away free stock to investors without requiring payment. However in some cases, the promoters are getting a benefit from the investor. According to a press release of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the problem with these offerings is that investors are not receiving full and fair disclosure as required.

    The SEC stated that the benefits that an issuer of free gets in exchange for the issuance of free stock includes:

    • Requiring the investor to register with the issuer's website and disclose personal information to the issuer.

    • For additional shares, investors are asked to solicit additional investors or link their personal sites to the issuer's sites.

    The result is that the investor is assisting to promote the issuer's stock, increase traffic at the issuer's sites and creating interest in the issuer's projected public offerings. In addition, the issuers received personal information about the investor which could be used by the issuer for purposes that were not disclosed to the investor.

    In some cases websites of the issuer's had made false claims about the stock and the company. Some of these companies had not been incorporated and did not have any employees or offices. Some of these stock offerings have not been properly registered with the SEC.

    If you see or offered any free stock, ask yourself what the issuer will get in exchange. More importantly, contact the SEC or relevant securities commission in your country. Finally submit a Complaint at our Complaint Centre to warn others.

     

     

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    DISCLAIMER:  The purpose of this part of this website is to provide general information to the public. Information contained herein is believed to be accurate, but no warranty is made as to accuracy or appropriateness.  All opinions and biases are that of the authors and does not necessarily reflect that of the website owners - DEVJOBS Information Service. Furthermore, some information contained herein may be outdated or incomplete.

    PUBLIC SERVICE: This SCAMBUSTER Series is a collection of articles, web resources and warnings about online fraud and scam in the Internet. This is a public service of DEVJOBS and    Carlos Ani,  an international microfinance consultant. My  updated CV is in this website.

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