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subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Concept_and_basic_models-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-The_"eight_ball"_model" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#The_"eight_ball"_model"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span>The "eight ball" model</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-The_"eight_ball"_model-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Blessing_Loom" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Blessing_Loom"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2</span> <span>Blessing Loom</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Blessing_Loom-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Franchise_fraud" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Franchise_fraud"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3</span> <span>Franchise fraud</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Franchise_fraud-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Matrix_schemes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Matrix_schemes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4</span> <span>Matrix schemes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Matrix_schemes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Relation_to_Ponzi_schemes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Relation_to_Ponzi_schemes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Relation to Ponzi schemes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Relation_to_Ponzi_schemes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Connection_to_multi-level_marketing" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Connection_to_multi-level_marketing"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Connection to multi-level marketing</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Connection_to_multi-level_marketing-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Legality" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Legality"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Legality</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Legality-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notable_cases" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notable_cases"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Notable cases</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notable_cases-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header 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<h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyramid scheme</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 46 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-46" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">46 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-af mw-list-item"><a href="https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piramideskema" title="Piramideskema – Afrikaans" lang="af" hreflang="af" data-title="Piramideskema" data-language-autonym="Afrikaans" data-language-local-name="Afrikaans" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Afrikaans</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%82_%D9%87%D8%B1%D9%85%D9%8A" title="تسويق هرمي – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="تسويق هرمي" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-az mw-list-item"><a href="https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piramida_sxemi" title="Piramida sxemi – Azerbaijani" lang="az" hreflang="az" data-title="Piramida sxemi" data-language-autonym="Azərbaycanca" data-language-local-name="Azerbaijani" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Azərbaycanca</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-be mw-list-item"><a href="https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D1%96%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BF%D1%96%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%B0" title="Фінансавая піраміда – Belarusian" lang="be" hreflang="be" data-title="Фінансавая піраміда" data-language-autonym="Беларуская" data-language-local-name="Belarusian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Беларуская</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-be-x-old mw-list-item"><a href="https://be-tarask.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D1%96%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BF%D1%96%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%B0" title="Фінансавая піраміда – Belarusian (Taraškievica orthography)" lang="be-tarask" hreflang="be-tarask" data-title="Фінансавая піраміда" data-language-autonym="Беларуская (тарашкевіца)" data-language-local-name="Belarusian (Taraškievica orthography)" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Беларуская (тарашкевіца)</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bg mw-list-item"><a href="https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B0" title="Финансова пирамида – Bulgarian" lang="bg" hreflang="bg" data-title="Финансова пирамида" data-language-autonym="Български" data-language-local-name="Bulgarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Български</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frau_piramidal" title="Frau piramidal – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Frau piramidal" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramidov%C3%A9_sch%C3%A9ma" title="Pyramidové schéma – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Pyramidové schéma" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramideforetagende" title="Pyramideforetagende – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Pyramideforetagende" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneeballsystem" title="Schneeballsystem – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Schneeballsystem" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-et mw-list-item"><a href="https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%BCramiidskeem" title="Püramiidskeem – Estonian" lang="et" hreflang="et" data-title="Püramiidskeem" data-language-autonym="Eesti" data-language-local-name="Estonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Eesti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-el mw-list-item"><a href="https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%95%CF%80%CE%B9%CF%87%CE%B5%CE%B9%CF%81%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C_%CF%83%CF%87%CE%AE%CE%BC%CE%B1_%CF%80%CF%85%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%BC%CE%AF%CE%B4%CE%B1%CF%82" title="Επιχειρηματικό σχήμα πυραμίδας – Greek" lang="el" hreflang="el" data-title="Επιχειρηματικό σχήμα πυραμίδας" data-language-autonym="Ελληνικά" data-language-local-name="Greek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Ελληνικά</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esquema_de_pir%C3%A1mide" title="Esquema de pirámide – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Esquema de pirámide" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financa_piramido" title="Financa piramido – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="Financa piramido" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Esperanto</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmenta_piramidal" title="Salmenta piramidal – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Salmenta piramidal" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%81%D9%86%D8%AF_%D9%87%D8%B1%D9%85%DB%8C" title="ترفند هرمی – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="ترفند هرمی" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vente_pyramidale" title="Vente pyramidale – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Vente pyramidale" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ga mw-list-item"><a href="https://ga.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sc%C3%A9im_phirimide" title="Scéim phirimide – Irish" lang="ga" hreflang="ga" data-title="Scéim phirimide" data-language-autonym="Gaeilge" data-language-local-name="Irish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Gaeilge</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%ED%94%BC%EB%9D%BC%EB%AF%B8%EB%93%9C_%EC%82%AC%EA%B8%B0" title="피라미드 사기 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="피라미드 사기" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piramida_sre%C4%87e" title="Piramida sreće – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Piramida sreće" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skema_piramida" title="Skema piramida – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Skema piramida" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing_piramidale" title="Marketing piramidale – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Marketing piramidale" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%AA%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%AA_%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%93%D7%94" title="תרמית פירמידה – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="תרמית פירמידה" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-kk mw-list-item"><a href="https://kk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D2%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B6%D1%8B%D0%BB%D1%8B%D2%9B_%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B0" title="Қаржылық пирамида – Kazakh" lang="kk" hreflang="kk" data-title="Қаржылық пирамида" data-language-autonym="Қазақша" data-language-local-name="Kazakh" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Қазақша</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lt mw-list-item"><a href="https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piramidin%C4%97_schema" title="Piramidinė schema – Lithuanian" lang="lt" hreflang="lt" data-title="Piramidinė schema" data-language-autonym="Lietuvių" data-language-local-name="Lithuanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lietuvių</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hu mw-list-item"><a href="https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piramisj%C3%A1t%C3%A9k" title="Piramisjáték – Hungarian" lang="hu" hreflang="hu" data-title="Piramisjáték" data-language-autonym="Magyar" data-language-local-name="Hungarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Magyar</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skim_piramid" title="Skim piramid – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Skim piramid" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piramidespel" title="Piramidespel – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Piramidespel" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%84%A1%E9%99%90%E9%80%A3%E9%8E%96%E8%AC%9B" title="無限連鎖講 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="無限連鎖講" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramidespill" title="Pyramidespill – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Pyramidespill" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uz mw-list-item"><a href="https://uz.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piramida_sxemasi" title="Piramida sxemasi – Uzbek" lang="uz" hreflang="uz" data-title="Piramida sxemasi" data-language-autonym="Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча" data-language-local-name="Uzbek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprzeda%C5%BC_lawinowa" title="Sprzedaż lawinowa – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Sprzedaż lawinowa" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esquema_em_pir%C3%A2mide" title="Esquema em pirâmide – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Esquema em pirâmide" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schem%C4%83_piramidal%C4%83" title="Schemă piramidală – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Schemă piramidală" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D1%81%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B0" title="Пирамидальная схема – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Пирамидальная схема" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sq mw-list-item"><a href="https://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skema_piramidale" title="Skema piramidale – Albanian" lang="sq" hreflang="sq" data-title="Skema piramidale" data-language-autonym="Shqip" data-language-local-name="Albanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Shqip</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-simple mw-list-item"><a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_scheme" title="Pyramid scheme – Simple English" lang="en-simple" hreflang="en-simple" data-title="Pyramid scheme" data-language-autonym="Simple English" data-language-local-name="Simple English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Simple English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D1%88%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B0" title="Пирамидална шема – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Пирамидална шема" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sh mw-list-item"><a href="https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financijska_piramida" title="Financijska piramida – Serbo-Croatian" lang="sh" hreflang="sh" data-title="Financijska piramida" data-language-autonym="Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски" data-language-local-name="Serbo-Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramidihuijaus" title="Pyramidihuijaus – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Pyramidihuijaus" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramidspel" title="Pyramidspel – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Pyramidspel" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-th mw-list-item"><a href="https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%98%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%88%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%94" title="ธุรกิจแบบพีระมิด – Thai" lang="th" hreflang="th" data-title="ธุรกิจแบบพีระมิด" data-language-autonym="ไทย" data-language-local-name="Thai" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ไทย</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piramit_sistemi" title="Piramit sistemi – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Piramit sistemi" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D1%96%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D1%81%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B0" title="Пірамідальна схема – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" 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dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Type of unsustainable business model</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1251242444">.mw-parser-output .ambox{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-left:10px solid #36c;background-color:#fbfbfb;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+link+.ambox{margin-top:-1px}html body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .ambox.mbox-small-left{margin:4px 1em 4px 0;overflow:hidden;width:238px;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em}.mw-parser-output .ambox-speedy{border-left:10px solid #b32424;background-color:#fee7e6}.mw-parser-output .ambox-delete{border-left:10px solid #b32424}.mw-parser-output .ambox-content{border-left:10px solid #f28500}.mw-parser-output .ambox-style{border-left:10px solid #fc3}.mw-parser-output .ambox-move{border-left:10px solid #9932cc}.mw-parser-output .ambox-protection{border-left:10px solid #a2a9b1}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-text{border:none;padding:0.25em 0.5em;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image{border:none;padding:2px 0 2px 0.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-imageright{border:none;padding:2px 0.5em 2px 0;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-empty-cell{border:none;padding:0;width:1px}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image-div{width:52px}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .ambox{margin:0 10%}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .ambox{display:none!important}}</style><table class="box-Lead_rewrite plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-style ambox-lead_rewrite" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/Edit-clear.svg/40px-Edit-clear.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/Edit-clear.svg/60px-Edit-clear.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/Edit-clear.svg/80px-Edit-clear.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="48" data-file-height="48" /></span></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">The article's <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Lead_section" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Lead section">lead section</a> <b>may need to be rewritten</b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit">improve the lead</a> and read the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Lead_section" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Lead section">lead layout guide</a>.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">July 2024</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Pyramid_scheme_diagram.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Pyramid_scheme_diagram.svg/290px-Pyramid_scheme_diagram.svg.png" decoding="async" width="290" height="186" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Pyramid_scheme_diagram.svg/435px-Pyramid_scheme_diagram.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Pyramid_scheme_diagram.svg/580px-Pyramid_scheme_diagram.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="904" data-file-height="581" /></a><figcaption>The unsustainable exponential progression of a classic pyramid scheme in which every member is required to recruit six new people. To sustain the scheme, the 2.2 billion people in the 12th layer would be required to recruit 13.1 billion more people for the 13th layer, even though there are not nearly enough <a href="/wiki/World_population" title="World population">people in the world</a> to achieve that.</figcaption></figure> <p>A <b>pyramid scheme</b> is a <a href="/wiki/Business_model" title="Business model">business model</a> which, rather than earning money (or providing <a href="/wiki/Return_on_investment" title="Return on investment">returns on investments</a>) by sale of legitimate <a href="/wiki/Product_(business)" title="Product (business)">products</a> to an end consumer, mainly earns money by recruiting new members with the promise of payments (or services).<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As the number of members multiplies, recruiting quickly becomes increasingly difficult until it is impossible, and therefore most of the newer recruits do not make a profit. As such, pyramid schemes are unsustainable. The unsustainable nature of pyramid schemes has led to most countries outlawing them as a form of <a href="/wiki/Fraud" title="Fraud">fraud</a>. </p><p>Pyramid schemes have existed since at least the mid-to-late 19th century in different guises. Some <a href="/wiki/Multi-level_marketing" title="Multi-level marketing">multi-level marketing</a> plans have been classified as pyramid schemes.<sup id="cite_ref-Smith1984_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Smith1984-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Concept_and_basic_models">Concept and basic models</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Concept and basic models"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In a pyramid scheme, an organization compels individuals who wish to join to make a payment. In exchange, the organization promises its new members a share of the money taken from every additional member that they recruit. The directors of the organization (those at the top of the pyramid) also receive a share of these payments. For the directors, the scheme is potentially lucrative—whether or not they do any work, the organization's membership has a strong incentive to continue recruiting and funneling money to the top of the pyramid. </p><p>Such organizations seldom involve sales of products or services with value. Without creating any goods or services, the only revenue streams for the scheme are recruiting more members or soliciting more money from current members. The behavior of pyramid schemes follows the mathematics concerning <a href="/wiki/Exponential_growth" title="Exponential growth">exponential growth</a> quite closely. Each level of the pyramid is much larger than the one before it. For a pyramid scheme to make money for everyone who enrolls in it, it would have to expand indefinitely. When the scheme inevitably runs out of new recruits, lacking other sources of revenue, it collapses. Since the biggest terms in this geometric sequence are at the end, most people will be in the lower levels of the pyramid; accordingly, the bottom layer of the pyramid contains the most people. The people working for pyramid schemes try to promote the actual company instead of the product they are selling. Eventually, all of the people at the lower levels of the pyramid do not make any money; only the people at the top turn a profit.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>People in the upper layers of the pyramid typically profit, while those in the lower layers typically lose money. Since most of the members in the scheme are at the bottom, most participants will not make any money. In particular, when the scheme collapses, most members will be in the bottom layers and thus will not have any opportunity to profit from the scheme; still, they will have already paid to join. Therefore, a pyramid scheme is characterized by a few people (including the creators of the scheme) making large amounts of money, while subsequent members lose money. For this reason, they are considered <a href="/wiki/Scams" class="mw-redirect" title="Scams">scams</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="The_"eight_ball"_model"><span id="The_.22eight_ball.22_model"></span>The "eight ball" model</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: The "eight ball" model"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Airplane_game.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Airplane_game.svg/220px-Airplane_game.svg.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="147" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Airplane_game.svg/330px-Airplane_game.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Airplane_game.svg/440px-Airplane_game.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="209" data-file-height="140" /></a><figcaption>The "eight-ball" model contains a total of fifteen members. Note that in an <a href="/wiki/Arithmetic_progression" title="Arithmetic progression">arithmetic progression</a> 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 15. The pyramid scheme in the picture in contrast is a <a href="/wiki/Geometric_progression" title="Geometric progression">geometric progression</a> 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 15.</figcaption></figure> <p>Many pyramids are more sophisticated than the simple model. These recognize that recruiting a large number of others into a scheme can be difficult, so a seemingly simpler model is used. In this model each person must recruit two others, but the ease of achieving this is offset because the depth required to recoup any money also increases. The scheme requires a person to recruit two others, who must each recruit two others, and so on. </p><p>Prior instances of this scheme have been called the "<a href="/wiki/Airplane_game" title="Airplane game">Airplane Game</a>" and the four tiers labelled as "captain", "co-pilot", "crew", and "passenger" to denote a person's level. Another instance was called the "Original Dinner Party" which labeled the tiers as "dessert", "main course", "side salad", and "appetizer". A person on the "dessert" course is the one at the top of the tree. Another variant, "Treasure Traders", variously used <a href="/wiki/Gemology" title="Gemology">gemology</a> terms such as "polishers", "stone cutters", etc. One version called the Abundance Fractal uses the four elements as the names of tiers: "Fire", "Air", "Earth", and "Water". A more recent variation known as the Living Workshop takes the names of plants, calling the tiers "seed", "sapling", "blossom", and "lotus". </p><p>Such schemes may try to downplay their pyramid nature by referring to themselves as "gifting circles" with money being "gifted". Others focus on sharing circles or educational themes around "abundance" to divert attention away from the unsustainable structure. Popular schemes such as "Women Empowering Women"<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> do exactly this. </p><p>Whichever euphemism is used, there are 15 total people in four tiers (1 + 2 + 4 + 8) in the scheme—with the Airplane Game as the example, the person at the top of this tree is the "captain", the two below are "co-pilots", the four below are "crew", and the bottom eight joiners are the "passengers". </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Small_Pyramid_Schemes_Still_Lose_Money.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Small_Pyramid_Schemes_Still_Lose_Money.svg/220px-Small_Pyramid_Schemes_Still_Lose_Money.svg.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="191" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Small_Pyramid_Schemes_Still_Lose_Money.svg/330px-Small_Pyramid_Schemes_Still_Lose_Money.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Small_Pyramid_Schemes_Still_Lose_Money.svg/440px-Small_Pyramid_Schemes_Still_Lose_Money.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="338" data-file-height="293" /></a><figcaption>At ten levels deep, the "airplane game" has an 87% loss rate.</figcaption></figure> <p>The eight passengers must each pay (or "gift") a sum (e.g., $5,000) to join the scheme. This sum (e.g., $40,000) goes to the captain, who leaves, with everyone remaining moving up one tier. There are now two new captains so the group splits in two with each group requiring eight new passengers. A person who joins the scheme as a passenger will not see a return until they advance through the crew and co-pilot tiers and exit the scheme as a captain. Therefore, the participants in the bottom three tiers of the pyramid lose their money if the scheme collapses. </p><p>If a person is using this model as a scam, the confidence trickster would take the majority of the money. They would do this by filling in the first three tiers (with one, two, and four people) with phony names, ensuring they get the first seven payouts, at eight times the buy-in sum, without paying anything themselves. So if the buy-in were $5,000, they would receive $40,000, paid for by the first eight <a href="/wiki/Investor" title="Investor">investors</a>. They would continue to buy in underneath the real investors, and promote and prolong the scheme for as long as possible to allow them to skim even more from it before it collapses. </p><p>Although the "captain" is the person at the top of the tree, having received the payment from the eight paying passengers, once they leave the scheme they are able to re-enter the pyramid as a "passenger" and hopefully recruit enough to reach captain again, thereby earning a second payout. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Blessing_Loom">Blessing Loom</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Blessing Loom"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Blessing_Loom_and_8-Ball_Pyramid_Schemes.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Blessing_Loom_and_8-Ball_Pyramid_Schemes.svg/220px-Blessing_Loom_and_8-Ball_Pyramid_Schemes.svg.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="104" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Blessing_Loom_and_8-Ball_Pyramid_Schemes.svg/330px-Blessing_Loom_and_8-Ball_Pyramid_Schemes.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Blessing_Loom_and_8-Ball_Pyramid_Schemes.svg/440px-Blessing_Loom_and_8-Ball_Pyramid_Schemes.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="3400" data-file-height="1600" /></a><figcaption>The "Blessing Loom" is identical to the classic "Airplane Game", with a circular diagram obscuring the pyramid structure.</figcaption></figure> <p>Similar to the eight ball model, the <b>Blessing Loom</b> tricks potential investors by claiming to turn $100 into $800. This scheme has a circular structure, as increases in new recruits pushes individuals closer to the center of the circle, hence the "<a href="/wiki/Loom" title="Loom">Loom</a>" in the name. Each participant needs to recruit two people without providing them with any service or product. The scam often resurfaces online across the globe, under different aliases such as "loom circle" or "fractal mandala".<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Blessing Loom scheme has been ruled as illegal in multiple US cities.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Franchise_fraud">Franchise fraud</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Franchise fraud"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Franchise_fraud" title="Franchise fraud">Franchise fraud</a> is defined by the United States <a href="/wiki/Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation" title="Federal Bureau of Investigation">Federal Bureau of Investigation</a> as a pyramid scheme. The FBI website states: </p> <blockquote><p>Pyramid schemes—also referred to as franchise fraud or chain referral schemes—are marketing and investment frauds in which an individual is offered a distributorship or franchise to market a particular product. The real profit is earned, not by the sale of the product, but by the sale of new distributorships. Emphasis on selling franchises rather than the product eventually leads to a point where the supply of potential investors is exhausted and the pyramid collapses.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Matrix_schemes">Matrix schemes</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Matrix schemes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Matrix_scheme" title="Matrix scheme">Matrix scheme</a></div> <p>Matrix schemes use the same fraudulent, unsustainable system as a pyramid; here, the participants pay to join a waiting list for a desirable product, which only a fraction of them can ever receive. Since matrix schemes follow the same laws of geometric progression as pyramids, they are subsequently as doomed to collapse. </p><p>Such schemes operate as a queue, where the person at head of the queue receives an item such as a television, games console, digital camcorder, etc. when a certain number of new people join the end of the queue. For example, ten joiners may be required for the person at the front to receive their item and leave the queue. Each joiner is required to buy an expensive but potentially worthless item, such as an e-book, for their position in the queue. The scheme organizer profits because the income from joiners far exceeds the cost of sending out the item to the person at the front. Organizers can further profit by starting a scheme with a queue with <a href="/wiki/Shill" title="Shill">shill</a> names that must be cleared out before genuine people get to the front. The scheme collapses when no more people are willing to join the queue. </p><p>Schemes may not reveal, or may attempt to exaggerate, a prospective joiner's queue position, a condition that essentially means the scheme is a lottery. Some countries have ruled that matrix schemes are illegal on that basis. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Relation_to_Ponzi_schemes">Relation to Ponzi schemes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Relation to Ponzi schemes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>While often confused with each other, pyramid schemes and <a href="/wiki/Ponzi_scheme" title="Ponzi scheme">Ponzi schemes</a> are different.<sup id="cite_ref-zuckoff_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-zuckoff-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Pyramid schemes are based on <a href="/wiki/Network_marketing" class="mw-redirect" title="Network marketing">network marketing</a>, where each person in the pyramid is tasked with bringing in their own subordinates and in turn profiting from their sales or recruitments. This fails because it essentially requires an infinite number of people to join the company. In a Ponzi scheme, however, participants are promised returns on "investments", supposedly into stocks or goods, but which are actually paid for by new investors, while a central leading figure takes a portion as profit. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Connection_to_multi-level_marketing">Connection to multi-level marketing</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Connection to multi-level marketing"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Some <a href="/wiki/Multi-level_marketing" title="Multi-level marketing">multi-level marketing</a> (MLM) companies operate as pyramid schemes and consumers often confuse legitimate multi-level marketing with pyramid schemes.<sup id="cite_ref-Smith1984_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Smith1984-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Keep2014_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keep2014-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Valentine_Speech_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Valentine_Speech-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>According to the U.S. <a href="/wiki/Federal_Trade_Commission" title="Federal Trade Commission">Federal Trade Commission</a> (FTC) legitimate MLM businesses are distinguished from pyramid schemes by participants making money primarily from product sales, rather than recruitment:<sup id="cite_ref-PS_USA_1998_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-PS_USA_1998-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <blockquote><p>Not all multi-level marketing plans are legitimate. If the money you make is based on your sales to the public, it may be a legitimate multilevel marketing plan. If the money you make is based on the number of people you recruit and your sales to them, it's probably not. It could be a pyramid scheme.<sup id="cite_ref-MLM_USA_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-MLM_USA-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>In contrast, pyramid schemes "may purport to sell a product", but often "simply use the product to hide their pyramid structure".<sup id="cite_ref-Valentine_Speech_12-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Valentine_Speech-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> While some people call MLMs in general "pyramid selling",<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> others use the term to denote an illegal pyramid scheme masquerading as a MLM.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The U.S. Federal Trade Commission warns against becoming involved "in plans where the money you make is based primarily on the number of distributors you recruit and your sales to them, rather than on your sales to people outside the plan who intend to use the products."<sup id="cite_ref-ftc.gov_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ftc.gov-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Some commentators contend that MLMs in general are nothing more than legalized pyramid schemes.<sup id="cite_ref-Carroll_2003_235_22-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Carroll_2003_235-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Coenen_2009_168_23-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Coenen_2009_168-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Salinger_Editor_2005_880_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Salinger_Editor_2005_880-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> There are different laws in every state, and they take different actions toward pyramid schemes, but multi-level-marketing is legal.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Multi-level marketing lobbying groups have pressured US government regulators to maintain the legal status of such schemes.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Legality">Legality</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Legality"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Pyramid schemes are illegal in many countries or regions including <a href="/wiki/Albania" title="Albania">Albania</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Austria" title="Austria">Austria</a>, <a href="/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgium</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Bahrain" title="Bahrain">Bahrain</a>, <a href="/wiki/Bangladesh" title="Bangladesh">Bangladesh</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a>, <a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China" class="mw-redirect" title="People's Republic of China">China</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Regulation_on_Prohibition_of_Pyramid_Selling_32-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Regulation_on_Prohibition_of_Pyramid_Selling-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Colombia" title="Colombia">Colombia</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Denmark" title="Denmark">Denmark</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Dominican_Republic" title="Dominican Republic">Dominican Republic</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Estonia" title="Estonia">Estonia</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Finland" title="Finland">Finland</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a>, <a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong" title="Hong Kong">Hong Kong</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Hungary" title="Hungary">Hungary</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Iceland" title="Iceland">Iceland</a>, <a href="/wiki/India" title="India">India</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-indiatimes_40-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-indiatimes-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Indonesia" title="Indonesia">Indonesia</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Iran" title="Iran">Iran</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland" title="Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Malaysia" title="Malaysia">Malaysia</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the <a href="/wiki/Maldives" title="Maldives">Maldives</a>, <a href="/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico">Mexico</a>, <a href="/wiki/Nepal" title="Nepal">Nepal</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Sentence_by_the_High_Council_of_the_Netherlands_regarding_a_pyramid_scheme_47-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Sentence_by_the_High_Council_of_the_Netherlands_regarding_a_pyramid_scheme-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/New_Zealand" title="New Zealand">New Zealand</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Norway" title="Norway">Norway</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Oman" title="Oman">Oman</a>, <a href="/wiki/Peru" title="Peru">Peru</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Philippines" title="Philippines">Philippines</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Poland" title="Poland">Poland</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Portugal" title="Portugal">Portugal</a>, <a href="/wiki/Romania" title="Romania">Romania</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Russia" title="Russia">Russia</a>, <a href="/wiki/Serbia" title="Serbia">Serbia</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-paragraf_53-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-paragraf-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa">South Africa</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-54" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Singapore" title="Singapore">Singapore</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Spain" title="Spain">Spain</a>, <a href="/wiki/Ethiopia" title="Ethiopia">Ethiopia</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sri_Lanka" title="Sri Lanka">Sri Lanka</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Sweden" title="Sweden">Sweden</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Switzerland" title="Switzerland">Switzerland</a>, <a href="/wiki/Taiwan" title="Taiwan">Taiwan</a>, <a href="/wiki/Thailand" title="Thailand">Thailand</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-สมาคมการขายตรงไทย_58-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-สมาคมการขายตรงไทย-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Trinidad_and_Tobago" title="Trinidad and Tobago">Trinidad and Tobago</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-60"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Ukraine" title="Ukraine">Ukraine</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-61"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>61<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-62" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and the <a href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Valentine_Speech_12-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Valentine_Speech-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notable_cases">Notable cases</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Notable cases"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/1997_Albanian_civil_unrest" title="1997 Albanian civil unrest">1997 Albanian civil unrest</a> was partially motivated by the collapse of <a href="/wiki/Ponzi_scheme" title="Ponzi scheme">Ponzi schemes</a>; however, they were widely referred to as pyramid schemes due to their prevalence in Albanian society.<sup id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="margin-left:0.1em; white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify" title="Wikipedia:Please clarify"><span title="The text near this tag may need clarification or removal of jargon. (June 2024)">clarification needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>In 2003, the United States <a href="/wiki/Federal_Trade_Commission" title="Federal Trade Commission">Federal Trade Commission</a> (FTC) disclosed what it called an Internet-based "pyramid scam." Its complaint states that customers would pay a registration fee to join a program that called itself an "internet mall" and purchase a package of <a href="/wiki/Goods_and_services" title="Goods and services">goods and services</a> such as internet mail, and that the company offered "significant commissions" to consumers who purchased and resold the package. The FTC alleged that the company's program was instead and in reality a pyramid scheme that did not disclose that most consumers' money would be kept, and that it gave affiliates material that allowed them to scam others.<sup id="cite_ref-ftc-internetmall_64-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ftc-internetmall-64"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>64<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/WinCapita" title="WinCapita">WinCapita</a> was a scheme run by Finnish criminals that involved about €100 million. The scheme started in 2005.<sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In early 2006, <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland" title="Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a> was hit by a wave of schemes with major activity in <a href="/wiki/Cork_(city)" title="Cork (city)">Cork</a> and <a href="/wiki/Galway" title="Galway">Galway</a>. Participants were asked to contribute €20,000 each to a "Liberty" scheme which followed the classic eight-ball model. Payments were made in <a href="/wiki/Munich" title="Munich">Munich</a>, <a href="/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a>, to skirt Irish tax laws concerning gifts. Spin-off schemes called "Speedball" and "People in Profit" prompted a number of violent incidents and calls were made by politicians to tighten existing legislation.<sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-66"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>66<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Ireland has launched a website to better educate consumers to pyramid schemes and other scams.<sup id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>67<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On 12 November 2008, riots broke out in the municipalities of <a href="/wiki/Pasto_(Colombia)" class="mw-redirect" title="Pasto (Colombia)">Pasto</a>, <a href="/wiki/Tumaco" title="Tumaco">Tumaco</a>, <a href="/wiki/Popay%C3%A1n" title="Popayán">Popayán</a> and <a href="/wiki/Santander_de_Quilichao" title="Santander de Quilichao">Santander de Quilichao</a>, <a href="/wiki/Colombia" title="Colombia">Colombia</a>, after the collapse of several pyramid schemes. Thousands of victims had invested their money in pyramids that promised them extraordinary interest rates. The lack of regulatory laws allowed those pyramids to grow excessively for several years. Finally, after the riots, the Colombian government was forced to declare the country in a state of economic emergency to seize and stop those schemes. Several of the pyramid's managers were arrested, and prosecuted for the crime of "illegal massive money reception."<sup id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-68"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>68<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The <i><a href="/wiki/Kyiv_Post" title="Kyiv Post">Kyiv Post</a></i> reported on 26 November 2008 that American citizen Robert Fletcher (Robert T. Fletcher III; aka "Rob") was arrested by the SBU (Ukraine State Police) after being accused by Ukrainian investors of running a Ponzi scheme and associated pyramid scam netting US$20 million. (The <i>Kyiv Post</i> also reported that some estimates were as high as US$150 million.)<sup id="cite_ref-69" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-69"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>69<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the United Kingdom in 2008 and 2009, a £21 million pyramid scheme named 'Give and Take' involved at least 10,000 victims in the south-west of England and South Wales. Leaders of the scheme were prosecuted and served time in jail before being ordered to pay £500,000 in compensation and costs in 2015. The cost of bringing the prosecution was in excess of £1.4 million.<sup id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>70<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A number of authorities around the world declared TVI Express to be a pyramid scheme in 2010 and 2011, including the <a href="/wiki/Australian_Competition_%26_Consumer_Commission" class="mw-redirect" title="Australian Competition & Consumer Commission">Australian Competition & Consumer Commission</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Bank_of_Namibia" title="Bank of Namibia">Bank of Namibia</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Central_Bank_of_Lesotho" title="Central Bank of Lesotho">Central Bank of Lesotho</a>. TVI Express, operated by Tarun Trikha from India, has apparently recruited hundreds of thousands of "investors", very few of whom, it is reported, have recouped any of their investment.<sup id="cite_ref-ACCC-TVIExpress_71-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ACCC-TVIExpress-71"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>71<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Namibia-TVIExpress_72-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Namibia-TVIExpress-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>72<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Lesotho-TVIExpress_73-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Lesotho-TVIExpress-73"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>73<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-LE-TVIExpress_74-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-LE-TVIExpress-74"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>74<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-CWBotswana_75-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CWBotswana-75"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>75<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/BurnLounge" title="BurnLounge">BurnLounge</a>, Inc. was a multi-level marketing <a href="/wiki/Online_music_store" class="mw-redirect" title="Online music store">online music store</a> founded in 2004 and based in New York City. By 2006 the company reported 30,000 members using the site to sell music through its network. In 2007, the Federal Trade Commission sued the company for being an illegal pyramid scheme. The company lost the suit in 2012, and lost appeal in June 2014. In June 2015, the FTC began returning $1.9 million to people who had lost money in the scheme.<sup id="cite_ref-76" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-76"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>76<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In August 2015, the United States FTC filed a lawsuit against <a href="/wiki/Vemma" title="Vemma">Vemma Nutrition Company</a>, an Arizona-based <a href="/wiki/Dietary_supplement" title="Dietary supplement">dietary supplement</a> Multi-Level Marketing firm, accused of operating an illegal pyramid scheme. In December 2016, Vemma agreed to a $238 million settlement with the FTC, which banned the company from "pyramid scheme practices" including recruitment-focused business ventures, deceptive income claims, and unsubstantiated health claims.<sup id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-77"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>77<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-78"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>78<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In March 2017, Ufun Store registered as an online business for its members as a direct-sales company was declared operating a pyramid scheme in Thailand. The Criminal Court handed down prison terms totaling 12,265 to 12,267 years to 22 people convicted over the scheme, which conned about 120,000 people out of more than 20 billion baht.<sup id="cite_ref-79" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-79"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>79<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Airplane Game scheme resurfaced in 2020 as a savings club by the name of the Blessing Loom, Blessing Circle, Sending Flower, Gifting Flower, and so on. It is also misrepresented as a <a href="/wiki/Susu_(informal_loan_club)" title="Susu (informal loan club)">Sou-Sou</a>, a legitimate savings club model where the number of people paying into the pot is fixed and each person gets a payout on regular basis. This is distinct from the pyramid scheme variation making use of the hierarchical flower model,<sup id="cite_ref-80" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-80"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>80<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> where new members are continually recruited into the group by people at the edges of the flower. This re-imagining of the old Airplane/8-ball model is making a resurgence on social media platforms such as <a href="/wiki/Instagram" title="Instagram">Instagram</a> and Zoom.<sup id="cite_ref-81" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-81"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>81<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-82" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-82"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>82<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1184024115">.mw-parser-output .div-col{margin-top:0.3em;column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .div-col-small{font-size:90%}.mw-parser-output .div-col-rules{column-rule:1px solid #aaa}.mw-parser-output .div-col dl,.mw-parser-output .div-col ol,.mw-parser-output .div-col ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .div-col li,.mw-parser-output .div-col dd{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}</style><div class="div-col" style="column-width: 21em;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Aman_Futures_Group" class="mw-redirect" title="Aman Futures Group">Aman Futures Group</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/BurnLounge" title="BurnLounge">BurnLounge</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Social_Security_debate_in_the_United_States#Pyramid_or_Ponzi_scheme_claims" title="Social Security debate in the United States">Claims of Social Security in the US as a pyramid scheme</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cryptocurrency" title="Cryptocurrency">Cryptocurrency</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Elite_Activity" title="Elite Activity">Elite Activity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gift" title="Gift">Gift</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holiday_Magic" title="Holiday Magic">Holiday Magic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Make_Money_Fast" title="Make Money Fast">Make Money Fast</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Non-fungible_tokens" class="mw-redirect" title="Non-fungible tokens">Non-fungible tokens</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nouveau_Riche_(college)" title="Nouveau Riche (college)">Nouveau Riche (college)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Qnet" title="Qnet">Qnet</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ponzi_scheme" title="Ponzi scheme">Ponzi scheme</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Success_University" title="Success University">Success University</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Cobra_Group" title="The Cobra Group">The Cobra Group</a></li></ul> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/pyramid-scheme">pyramid scheme</a> at the <i><a href="/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica" title="Encyclopædia Britannica">Encyclopædia Britannica</a></i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFWebsite_admin.2024" class="citation web cs1">Website admin. (2024). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://consumer.sd.gov/fastfacts/marketing.aspx">"Multi-Level Marketing vs Pyramid Schemes"</a>. Consumer Protection. <i>consumer.sd.gov</i>. Office of the Attorney General of South Dakota<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">February 18,</span> 2024</span>. <q>The difference between a pyramid scheme and a lawful MLM program is that there is no real product that is sold in a pyramid scheme. Participants attempt to make money solely by recruiting new participants into the program. The hallmark of these schemes is the promise of sky-high returns in a short period of time for doing nothing other than handing over your money and getting others to do the same.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=consumer.sd.gov&rft.atitle=Multi-Level+Marketing+vs+Pyramid+Schemes&rft.date=2024&rft.au=Website+admin.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.sd.gov%2Ffastfacts%2Fmarketing.aspx&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Smith1984-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Smith1984_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Smith1984_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSmith1984" class="citation book cs1">Smith, Rodney K. (1984). <i>Multilevel Marketing</i>. Baker Publishing Group. p. 45. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8010-8243-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-8010-8243-9"><bdi>0-8010-8243-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Multilevel+Marketing&rft.pages=45&rft.pub=Baker+Publishing+Group&rft.date=1984&rft.isbn=0-8010-8243-9&rft.aulast=Smith&rft.aufirst=Rodney+K.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes/pyramid-schemes">"Pyramid Schemes"</a>. <i>Federal Bureau of Investigation</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">3 May</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Guardian+Nigeria&rft.atitle=SEC+declares+%27Loom+Money%27+illegal+outfit&rft.date=2019-05-21&rft.au=Okwe+Mathias%2C+Abuja&rft.au=Merlyn+Mathews%2C+Lagos&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fguardian.ng%2Fbusiness-services%2Fsec-declares-loom-money-illegal-outfit%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFABC_News2020" class="citation web cs1">ABC News (2020-04-20). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJm_DYtmo0U">"Police warn of 'blessing loom' scam"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/YouTube" title="YouTube">YouTube</a></i>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211104/UJm_DYtmo0U">Archived</a> from the original on 2021-11-04.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=YouTube&rft.atitle=Police+warn+of+%27blessing+loom%27+scam&rft.date=2020-04-20&rft.au=ABC+News&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DUJm_DYtmo0U&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud">"FBI — Common Fraud Schemes"</a>. 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Federal Trade Commission. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ftc.gov/public-statements/1998/05/pyramid-schemes">the original</a> on 2022-05-26<span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Before signing on the dotted line, study the company's track record, ask lots of questions, and seek out independent opinions about the business.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Multilevel+Marketing&rft.pub=Federal+Trade+Commission&rft.date=2018-01-04&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ftc.gov%2Fbcp%2Fedu%2Fpubs%2Fconsumer%2Finvest%2Finv08.shtm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Carroll_2003_235-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Carroll_2003_235_22-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCarroll2003" class="citation book cs1">Carroll, Robert Todd (2003). <span class="id-lock-limited" title="Free access subject to limited trial, subscription normally required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/skepticsdictiona00carr_024"><i>The Skeptic's Dictionary: A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions</i></a></span>. Wiley. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/skepticsdictiona00carr_024/page/n241">235</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-471-27242-6" title="Special:BookSources/0-471-27242-6"><bdi>0-471-27242-6</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Skeptic%27s+Dictionary%3A+A+Collection+of+Strange+Beliefs%2C+Amusing+Deceptions%2C+and+Dangerous+Delusions&rft.pages=235&rft.pub=Wiley&rft.date=2003&rft.isbn=0-471-27242-6&rft.aulast=Carroll&rft.aufirst=Robert+Todd&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fskepticsdictiona00carr_024&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Coenen_2009_168-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Coenen_2009_168_23-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCoenen2009" class="citation book cs1">Coenen, Tracy (2009). <span class="id-lock-limited" title="Free access subject to limited trial, subscription normally required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/expertfraudinves00coen_262"><i>Expert Fraud Investigation: A Step-by-Step Guide</i></a></span>. Wiley. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/expertfraudinves00coen_262/page/n172">168</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-470-38796-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-470-38796-2"><bdi>978-0-470-38796-2</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Expert+Fraud+Investigation%3A+A+Step-by-Step+Guide&rft.pages=168&rft.pub=Wiley&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=978-0-470-38796-2&rft.aulast=Coenen&rft.aufirst=Tracy&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fexpertfraudinves00coen_262&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Salinger_Editor_2005_880-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Salinger_Editor_2005_880_24-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSalinger2005" class="citation book cs1">Salinger, Lawrence M., ed. 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2014-10-09</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Piramideverkoop+-+Geschillen+en+klachten+-+Home&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Feconomie.fgov.be%2Fnl%2Fgeschillen%2Fklachten%2Fwelke_klachten_terecht_ADCB%2FVerkopen%2FPiramideverkoop%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.thedailystar.net/news/govt-bans-pyramid-marketing">"Govt bans pyramid marketing"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/The_Daily_Star_(Bangladesh)" title="The Daily Star (Bangladesh)">The Daily Star</a></i>. 2013-09-06<span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Ministry of Justice of Hungary. p. 138. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20211213061112/https://njt.hu/translation/J2012T0100P_20210708_FIN.pdf">Archived</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> from the original on 13 December 2021<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">13 February</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=National+Legislation+Database&rft.atitle=Act+C+of+2012+on+the+Criminal+Code+%E2%80%93+Section+412%3A+Organising+a+pyramid+scheme&rft.pages=138&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fnjt.hu%2Ftranslation%2FJ2012T0100P_20210708_FIN.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-indiatimes-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-indiatimes_40-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/RBI-warns-against-pyramid-schemes/articleshow/45724589.cms">"RBI warns against pyramid schemes"</a>. <i>The Times of India</i>. 2015-01-02<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2020-12-20</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=The+Times+of+India&rft.atitle=RBI+warns+against+pyramid+schemes&rft.date=2015-01-02&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Ftimesofindia.indiatimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Findia-business%2FRBI-warns-against-pyramid-schemes%2Farticleshow%2F45724589.cms&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-41">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.finansialku.com/skema-piramida-dilarang-nasabah-terlindungi/">"Skema Piramida Dilarang, Nasabah Terlindungi"</a>. <i>Finansialku.com</i>. 15 February 2014<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2019-10-28</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Finansialku.com&rft.atitle=Skema+Piramida+Dilarang%2C+Nasabah+Terlindungi&rft.date=2014-02-15&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finansialku.com%2Fskema-piramida-dilarang-nasabah-terlindungi%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-42">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFIRB_–_Immigration_and_Refugee_Board_of_Canada2010" class="citation web cs1">IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (24 March 2010). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20100324000000/http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca:8080/RIR_RDI/RIR_RDI.aspx?id=452855&l=e">"IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada: The company Goldmine International; treatment of people affiliated with the company by Iranian authorities"</a>. <i>European Country of Origin Information Network</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca:8080/RIR_RDI/RIR_RDI.aspx?id=452855&l=e">the original</a> on 24 March 2010<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">3 May</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=European+Country+of+Origin+Information+Network&rft.atitle=IRB+%E2%80%93+Immigration+and+Refugee+Board+of+Canada%3A+The+company+Goldmine+International%3B+treatment+of+people+affiliated+with+the+company+by+Iranian+authorities&rft.date=2010-03-24&rft.au=IRB+%E2%80%93+Immigration+and+Refugee+Board+of+Canada&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irb-cisr.gc.ca%3A8080%2FRIR_RDI%2FRIR_RDI.aspx%3Fid%3D452855%26l%3De&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ecoi.net/en/document/1098047.html">Alt URL</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-43">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.consumerhelp.ie/pyramid-schemes">"Pyramid Schemes"</a>. Competition and Consumer Protection Commission<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2015-06-12</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Pyramid+Schemes&rft.pub=Competition+and+Consumer+Protection+Commission&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.consumerhelp.ie%2Fpyramid-schemes&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-44">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.parlamento.it/parlam/leggi/05173l.htm">"L 173/2005"</a>. <i>parlamento.it</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=parlamento.it&rft.atitle=L+173%2F2005&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parlamento.it%2Fparlam%2Fleggi%2F05173l.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-45">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://law.e-gov.go.jp/htmldata/S53/S53HO101.html">無限連鎖講の防止に関する法律</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090627130247/http://law.e-gov.go.jp/htmldata/S53/S53HO101.html">Archived</a> 2009-06-27 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a> (in Japanese)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-46">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFThe_Commissioner_of_Law_revision,_Malaysia_Under_the_Authority_of_the_Revision_of_Laws_Act_19682013" class="citation web cs1">The Commissioner of Law revision, Malaysia Under the Authority of the Revision of Laws Act 1968 (1 March 2013). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.kpdnhep.gov.my/images/dokumen/awam/perundangan/AktaBI/7-bi-Direct-Sales-and-Anti-Pyramid-Scheme-Act-1993-reprint-2013.pdf">"Direct Sales and Anti-Pyramid Scheme Act 1993 (Act 500)"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220715063453/https://www.kpdnhep.gov.my/images/dokumen/awam/perundangan/AktaBI/7-bi-Direct-Sales-and-Anti-Pyramid-Scheme-Act-1993-reprint-2013.pdf">Archived</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> from the original on 2022-07-15.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Direct+Sales+and+Anti-Pyramid+Scheme+Act+1993+%28Act+500%29&rft.date=2013-03-01&rft.au=The+Commissioner+of+Law+revision%2C+Malaysia+Under+the+Authority+of+the+Revision+of+Laws+Act+1968&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kpdnhep.gov.my%2Fimages%2Fdokumen%2Fawam%2Fperundangan%2FAktaBI%2F7-bi-Direct-Sales-and-Anti-Pyramid-Scheme-Act-1993-reprint-2013.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Cite_web" title="Template:Cite web">cite web</a>}}</code>: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (<a href="/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_numeric_names:_authors_list" title="Category:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list">link</a>)</span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Sentence_by_the_High_Council_of_the_Netherlands_regarding_a_pyramid_scheme-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Sentence_by_the_High_Council_of_the_Netherlands_regarding_a_pyramid_scheme_47-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130619033742/http://zoeken.rechtspraak.nl/resultpage.aspx?snelzoeken=true&searchtype=ljn&ljn=AR8424&u_ljn=AR8424">"Sentence by the High Council of the Netherlands regarding a pyramid scheme"</a>. Zoeken.rechtspraak.nl. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://zoeken.rechtspraak.nl/resultpage.aspx?snelzoeken=true&searchtype=ljn&ljn=AR8424&u_ljn=AR8424">the original</a> on 2013-06-19<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2013-04-02</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Sentence+by+the+High+Council+of+the+Netherlands+regarding+a+pyramid+scheme&rft.pub=Zoeken.rechtspraak.nl&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fzoeken.rechtspraak.nl%2Fresultpage.aspx%3Fsnelzoeken%3Dtrue%26searchtype%3Dljn%26ljn%3DAR8424%26u_ljn%3DAR8424&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-48"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-48">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://comcom.govt.nz/consumers/dealing-with-typical-situations/pyramid-schemes">Pyramid Schemes</a> <i>Commerce Commission of New Zealand</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-49"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-49">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.lovdata.no/all/tl-19950224-011-004.html#16">"Lovdata.no"</a>. Lovdata.no<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2013-04-02</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Lovdata.no&rft.pub=Lovdata.no&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lovdata.no%2Fall%2Ftl-19950224-011-004.html%2316&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-50"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-50">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E4DA1539F933A05750C0A9659C8B63">NYtimes.com</a>, "Investors in Philippine Pyramid Scheme Lose over $2 Billion"</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-51"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-51">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://uokik.gov.pl/news.php?news_id=17179">"First penalty imposed for soliciting into so-called pyramid-type schemes"</a>. 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2020-08-08</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Bangkok+Post&rft.atitle=Ufun+fraudsters+sentenced+to+thousands+of+years&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bangkokpost.com%2Fthailand%2Fgeneral%2F1219257%2Fufun-fraudsters-sentenced-to-thousands-of-years&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-80"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-80">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/be-aware-blessing-loom-scam-is-resurfacing-on-social-media/501-63996499-0136-4203-8c7e-2e6221bf5fe4">"BE AWARE: 'Blessing Loom' scam is resurfacing on social media"</a>. <i>cbs19.tv</i>. 21 April 2020<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2020-08-08</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=cbs19.tv&rft.atitle=BE+AWARE%3A+%27Blessing+Loom%27+scam+is+resurfacing+on+social+media&rft.date=2020-04-21&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbs19.tv%2Farticle%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fbe-aware-blessing-loom-scam-is-resurfacing-on-social-media%2F501-63996499-0136-4203-8c7e-2e6221bf5fe4&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-81"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-81">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.onlinethreatalerts.com/article/2020/4/20/blessing-loom-ponzi-scam/">"Blessing Loom Ponzi Scam: Beware"</a>. <i>OnlineThreatAlerts.com</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2020-07-07</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=OnlineThreatAlerts.com&rft.atitle=Blessing+Loom+Ponzi+Scam%3A+Beware&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.onlinethreatalerts.com%2Farticle%2F2020%2F4%2F20%2Fblessing-loom-ponzi-scam%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-82"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-82">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.click2houston.com/news/2016/12/08/blessing-looms-pyramid-scheme-sweeps-across-houston/">"<span class="cs1-kern-left"></span>'Blessing looms' pyramid scheme sweeps across Houston"</a>. <i>Click2Houston.com</i>. 8 December 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2020-07-07</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Click2Houston.com&rft.atitle=%27Blessing+looms%27+pyramid+scheme+sweeps+across+Houston&rft.date=2016-12-08&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.click2houston.com%2Fnews%2F2016%2F12%2F08%2Fblessing-looms-pyramid-scheme-sweeps-across-houston%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3APyramid+scheme" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <ul><li><i>The Fraudsters: How Con Artists Steal Your Money</i>, Chapter 9, "Pyramids of Sand" (<link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-903582-82-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-903582-82-4">978-1-903582-82-4</a>) by Eamon Dillon, published September 2008 by Merlin Publishing, Ireland.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/12px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/18px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/24px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></a></span> Media related to <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pyramid_and_Ponzi_schemes" class="extiw" 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class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 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4em">Scams and confidence tricks</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Terminology</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Scam" title="Scam">Scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Error_account" title="Error account">Error account</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shill" title="Shill">Shill</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shyster" title="Shyster">Shyster</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sucker_list" title="Sucker list">Sucker list</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Variants</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Advance-fee_scam" title="Advance-fee scam">Advance-fee scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Art_student_scam" title="Art student scam">Art student scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Badger_game" title="Badger game">Badger game</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bait-and-switch" title="Bait-and-switch">Bait-and-switch</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Black_money_scam" title="Black money scam">Black money scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Blessing_scam" title="Blessing scam">Blessing scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bogus_escrow" title="Bogus escrow">Bogus escrow</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Boiler_room_(business)" title="Boiler room (business)">Boiler room</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bride_scam" title="Bride scam">Bride scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charity_fraud" title="Charity fraud">Charity fraud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Clip_joint" title="Clip joint">Clip joint</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Coin-matching_game" title="Coin-matching game">Coin-matching game</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Coin_rolling_scams" title="Coin rolling scams">Coin rolling scams</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Drop_swindle" title="Drop swindle">Drop swindle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Embarrassing_cheque" title="Embarrassing cheque">Embarrassing cheque</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Exit_scam" title="Exit scam">Exit scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Extraterrestrial_real_estate" title="Extraterrestrial real estate">Extraterrestrial real estate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fiddle_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Fiddle game">Fiddle game</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fine_print" title="Fine print">Fine print</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Foreclosure_rescue_scheme" title="Foreclosure rescue scheme">Foreclosure rescue scheme</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Foreign_exchange_fraud" title="Foreign exchange fraud">Foreign exchange fraud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fortune_telling_fraud" title="Fortune telling fraud">Fortune telling fraud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gem_scam" title="Gem scam">Gem scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Get-rich-quick_scheme" title="Get-rich-quick scheme">Get-rich-quick scheme</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Green_goods_scam" title="Green goods scam">Green goods scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hustling" title="Hustling">Hustling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indian_coal_allocation_scam" title="Indian coal allocation scam">Indian coal allocation scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/IRS_impersonation_scam" title="IRS impersonation scam">IRS impersonation scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scams_in_intellectual_property" title="Scams in intellectual property">Intellectual property scams</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Shuffle" title="Kansas City Shuffle">Kansas City Shuffle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Locksmith_scam" title="Locksmith scam">Locksmith scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Long_firm_fraud" title="Long firm fraud">Long firm</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mismarking" title="Mismarking">Mismarking</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mock_auction" title="Mock auction">Mock auction</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moving_scam" title="Moving scam">Moving scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Overpayment_scam" title="Overpayment scam">Overpayment scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Patent_safe" title="Patent safe">Patent safe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pig_in_a_poke" title="Pig in a poke">Pig in a poke</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pigeon_drop" title="Pigeon drop">Pigeon drop</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pork_barrel" title="Pork barrel">Pork barrel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pump_and_dump" title="Pump and dump">Pump and dump</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Redemption_movement" title="Redemption movement">Redemption/A4V schemes</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reloading_scam" title="Reloading scam">Reloading scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Return_fraud" title="Return fraud">Return fraud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Salting_(confidence_trick)" title="Salting (confidence trick)">Salting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shell_game" title="Shell game">Shell game</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sick_baby_hoax" title="Sick baby hoax">Sick baby hoax</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/SIM_swap_scam" title="SIM swap scam">SIM swap scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Slavery_reparations_scam" title="Slavery reparations scam">Slavery reparations scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spanish_Prisoner" title="Spanish Prisoner">Spanish Prisoner</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/SSA_impersonation_scam" title="SSA impersonation scam">SSA impersonation scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/SSC_Scam" title="SSC Scam">SSC Scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Strip_search_phone_call_scam" title="Strip search phone call scam">Strip search phone call scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Swampland_in_Florida" title="Swampland in Florida">Swampland in Florida</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tarmac_scam" title="Tarmac scam">Tarmac scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Technical_support_scam" title="Technical support scam">Technical support scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Telemarketing_fraud" title="Telemarketing fraud">Telemarketing fraud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thai_tailor_scam" title="Thai tailor scam">Thai tailor scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thai_zig_zag_scam" title="Thai zig zag scam">Thai zig zag scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Three-card_monte" title="Three-card monte">Three-card monte</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trojan_horse_(business)" title="Trojan horse (business)">Trojan horse</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wash_trading" class="mw-redirect" title="Wash trading">Wash trading</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/White_van_speaker_scam" title="White van speaker scam">White van speaker scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Work-at-home_scheme" title="Work-at-home scheme">Work-at-home scheme</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Internet_fraud" title="Internet fraud">Internet scams</a> and<br />countermeasures</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Avalanche_(phishing_group)" title="Avalanche (phishing group)">Avalanche</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pig_butchering_scam" title="Pig butchering scam">Pig Butchering</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Carding_(fraud)" title="Carding (fraud)">Carding</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Catfishing" title="Catfishing">Catfishing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Click_fraud" title="Click fraud">Click fraud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Clickjacking" title="Clickjacking">Clickjacking</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cramming_(fraud)" title="Cramming (fraud)">Cramming</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Cryptocurrency_scams" title="Category:Cryptocurrency scams">Cryptocurrency scams</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cybercrime" title="Cybercrime">Cybercrime</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/CyberThrill" title="CyberThrill">CyberThrill</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DarkMarket" title="DarkMarket">DarkMarket</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Domain_name_scams" class="mw-redirect" title="Domain name scams">Domain name scams</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Email_authentication" title="Email authentication">Email authentication</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Email_fraud" title="Email fraud">Email fraud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Internet_vigilantism" title="Internet vigilantism">Internet vigilantism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lenny_(bot)" title="Lenny (bot)">Lenny anti-scam bot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lottery_scam" title="Lottery scam">Lottery scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/PayPaI" title="PayPaI">PayPai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Phishing" title="Phishing">Phishing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Referer_spoofing" title="Referer spoofing">Referer spoofing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ripoff_Report" title="Ripoff Report">Ripoff Report</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rock_Phish" title="Rock Phish">Rock Phish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Romance_scam" title="Romance scam">Romance scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Russian_Business_Network" title="Russian Business Network">Russian Business Network</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/SaferNet" title="SaferNet">SaferNet</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scam_baiting" title="Scam baiting">Scam baiting</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/419eater.com" title="419eater.com">419eater.com</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jim_Browning_(YouTuber)" title="Jim Browning (YouTuber)">Jim Browning</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kitboga_(streamer)" title="Kitboga (streamer)">Kitboga</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scammer_Payback" title="Scammer Payback">Scammer Payback</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/ShadowCrew" title="ShadowCrew">ShadowCrew</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spoofed_URL" title="Spoofed URL">Spoofed URL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spoofing_attack" title="Spoofing attack">Spoofing attack</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stock_Generation" title="Stock Generation">Stock Generation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voice_phishing" title="Voice phishing">Voice phishing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reputation_management" title="Reputation management">Website reputation ratings</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Pyramid</a> and<br /><a href="/wiki/Ponzi_scheme" title="Ponzi scheme">Ponzi schemes</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Aman_Futures_Group" class="mw-redirect" title="Aman Futures Group">Aman Futures Group</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bernard_Cornfeld" title="Bernard Cornfeld">Bernard Cornfeld</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caritas_(Ponzi_scheme)" title="Caritas (Ponzi scheme)">Caritas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dona_Branca" title="Dona Branca">Dona Branca</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Earl_Jones_(investment_advisor)" title="Earl Jones (investment advisor)">Earl Jones</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ezubao" title="Ezubao">Ezubao</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Foundation_for_New_Era_Philanthropy" title="Foundation for New Era Philanthropy">Foundation for New Era Philanthropy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Franchise_fraud" title="Franchise fraud">Franchise fraud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/High-yield_investment_program" title="High-yield investment program">High-yield investment program (HYIP)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Investors_Overseas_Service" title="Investors Overseas Service">Investors Overseas Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kapa_investment_scam" class="mw-redirect" title="Kapa investment scam">Kapa investment scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kubus_scheme" title="Kubus scheme">Kubus scheme</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Madoff_investment_scandal" title="Madoff investment scandal">Madoff investment scandal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Make_Money_Fast" title="Make Money Fast">Make Money Fast</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Matrix_scheme" title="Matrix scheme">Matrix scheme</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MMM_(Ponzi_scheme_company)" title="MMM (Ponzi scheme company)">MMM</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Petters_Group_Worldwide" title="Petters Group Worldwide">Petters Group Worldwide</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pyramid_schemes_in_Albania" title="Pyramid schemes in Albania">Pyramid schemes in Albania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reed_Slatkin" title="Reed Slatkin">Reed Slatkin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saradha_Group_financial_scandal" title="Saradha Group financial scandal">Saradha Group financial scandal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Secret_Sister" title="Secret Sister">Secret Sister</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scott_W._Rothstein" title="Scott W. Rothstein">Scott W. Rothstein</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stanford_Financial_Group" title="Stanford Financial Group">Stanford Financial Group</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Welsh_Thrasher_faith_scam" title="Welsh Thrasher faith scam">Welsh Thrasher faith scam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/WinCapita" title="WinCapita">WinCapita</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Lists</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_con_artists" title="List of con artists">Con artists</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_confidence_tricks" class="mw-redirect" title="List of confidence tricks">Confidence tricks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_criminal_enterprises,_gangs,_and_syndicates" title="List of criminal enterprises, gangs, and syndicates">Criminal enterprises, gangs and syndicates</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_impostors" title="List of impostors">Impostors</a></li> <li>In the media <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Confidence_tricks_in_film_and_television" title="Confidence tricks in film and television">Film and television</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Confidence_tricks_in_literature" title="Confidence tricks in literature">Literature</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Ponzi_schemes" title="List of Ponzi schemes">Ponzi schemes</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-label="Navbox" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Help:Authority_control" title="Help:Authority control">Authority control databases</a>: National <span class="mw-valign-text-top noprint" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q214242#identifiers" title="Edit this at Wikidata"><img alt="Edit this at Wikidata" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png" decoding="async" width="10" height="10" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/15px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/20px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="20" data-file-height="20" /></a></span></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://d-nb.info/gnd/4138446-5">Germany</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; 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