These resources will help you to understand how MLMs/pyramid schemes work and why you want to avoid them, and how to recognize one when it is offered to you as an "opportunity".
Read this presentation to learn more:
Don't Get Caught in a Pyramid Scheme
Information on Multi-Level Marketing companies and pyramid scheme from the New York State Office of the Attorney General
Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) Businesses and Pyramid Schemes
Information on what multilevel marketing (MLM) companies do, what a pyramid scheme is, and how to spot pyramid schemes from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Information.
This TED-Ed video by Stacie Bosley teaches you the techniques and tricks that pyramid schemes use to recruit new members and how to avoid being fooled yourself.
Short video offers aspiring entrepreneurs tips on how to avoid fraudulent 'business opportunities.' English and Spanish versions of the video and included in this news release.
Podcast empathetically explores the pull of multilevel marketing in it's first season
Search engine to help you identify multi-level marketing companies.
Reddit community sharing stories and help about dealing with multi-level marketing companies. r/antiMLM is a related Reddit community
MLMs use same recruitment tactics as cults
A former Mary Kay consultant recounts how the multilevel marketing company kept her loyal, even though she wasn't making any money.
Why Multi-level Marketing (MLM) is NOT a business.
Comparison of MLMs and other small businesses
Will it hurt my career to work for a slimy company?
Ask a Manager discusses whether you should include work for multi-level marketing companies on your resume.
Washington AG accuses LuLaRoe of operating an illegal 'pyramid scheme'
The Washington state attorney general alleged in a lawsuit that LuLaRoe is operating an "illegal pyramid," making misleading income claims, and encouraging its consultants to focus more on recruitment than selling clothes to customers.
Multi-Level Marketer AdvoCare Will Pay $150 Million To Settle FTC Charges
FTC settlement ends AdvoCare’s alleged pyramid scheme and bans defendants from multi-level marketing.
FTC Sues Multi-Level Marketer Neora
FTC alleges Neora, formerly known as Nerium, operates an illegal pyramid scheme.
“The loss rate for MLMs is at least 99%.”
MLM’s ABYSMAL NUMBERS: Chapter from The Case (for and) against Multi-level Marketing by Jon M. Taylor, MBA, Ph.D., Consumer Awareness Institute.
“Coercive Techniques in Business Opportunity Cults”
Working paper by D. M. Brooks, a lawyer who has represented MLM distributors. Describes direct selling, multi-level marketing, pyramid schemes, how MLMs recruit distributors, and the language MLMs use.
Book by E. Scheibeler
H.R. 2500: The National Defense Authorization Act of 2019-2020 Sec. 580D...
The House of Representatives version of the National Defense Authorization Act required a report of: “Programs designed to educate spouses and service members about the risks of multi-level marketing.”
“On Becoming a God in Central Florida”
Fictional Showtime series about MLMs, starring Kirsten Dunst