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Being able to sit in your PJs all day while you work from home with a schedule you set for yourself sounds great, right? Today, there are more and more opportunities to work for a multi-level marketing company and do just that.
Many of us are getting our social media news feeds bogged down with these opportunities - “Check out this New Skincare Line, it’s All Natural!” or “Looking to Make Some Extra Money?” However, be careful when thinking about taking the leap and signing up for the convenience of being your own boss. The products may be good, and you may want to support your friend, but not all opportunities are created equal, and some might just be scams designed to steal your money.
Updated with recent BBB Scam Tracker examples, BBB tips, and additional scam information on June 2, 2025.
What you'll learn:
- The difference between multi-level marketing and illegal pyramid schemes.
- Questions to ask yourself to recognize a pyramid scheme.
- Tips for what to do when considering a new job or money-making opportunity.
It’s important to understand the difference between multi-level marketing and illegal pyramid schemes.
Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) is a system of retailing in which consumer products are sold by independent salespeople. The earnings are determined by effort and the ability to sell consumer products that are supplied by the company. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), typically, distributors earn commissions, not only for their own sales but also for sales made by the people they recruit. MLM companies also encourage distributors to build their own sales teams by recruiting, motivating and training others to sell products. A well-run MLM is like being part of an extra-large family.
Pyramid schemes focus on making quick profits that are earned by selling the right to recruit others. The entire purpose of the scheme is to get your money upfront. There is no real product to be sold as it’s a scam.
BBB Scam Tracker continues to receive reports about pyramid schemes and passive income scams. This consumer reported their experience:
"I invested in [company name redacted] after seeing their claims about earning passive income through electric scooter rentals. Everything looked legit at first, but it's a complete scam. There are no real scooters, no business transparency, and no way to withdraw your money once it's in. They keep changing their website, delay payouts, and push you to recruit others - classic pyramid scheme tactics."
Questions to help yourself recognize a pyramid scheme:
- Are you required to "invest" a large amount of money upfront to become a distributor? Legitimate MLM businesses do not require a large start-up cost.
- Are you being told this is an easy way to make passive income after making an initial investment? Again, legitimate MLM businesses do not require an investment. Be cautious about opportunities that require you to invest in cryptocurrency.
- If you do have to pay for inventory, will the company buy back unsold inventory? Legitimate MLM companies will offer and stick to inventory - usually 80%.
- Is there any market demand for the product or service? MLM depends on establishing a market for the company's products. If the company doesn't seem to have any interest in consumer demand for its products, don't sign up.
- Is there more emphasis on recruitment than on selling the product or service? If recruitment seems to be the focus of the plan instead of selling products, don't sign up.
- Is the plan designed so that you make more money by recruiting new members rather than through sales that you make yourself? This is the signature of a pyramid scheme operation.
- Are you being pressured to join? If you're experiencing high-pressure sales tactics to get involved with the opportunity, consider that a red flag.
Before you consider investing in a new job opportunity, it's important to:
- Check BBB.org or BBB Scam Tracker to see if there have been any complaints or scam reports about the business.
- Ask the above questions during initial meetings and listen carefully for inconsistencies.
- Know the signs of common employment scams. Read BBB's tips.
If you believe you’ve been a victim of a pyramid scheme, you can submit a complaint at BBB.org/complaints, and the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov.
For more information
Read BBB's tips on investment scams.
Report scams to BBB Scam Tracker.
Always look for businesses that follow BBB Accreditation Standards and BBB Standards for Trust.
BBB Serving Eastern MA, ME, RI & VT contributed to this article.