Need your view on this pyramid scheme, and i'm not recruiting!

kaiotes

Golden Member
Dec 31, 2000
1,816
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I initially posted this in wrong forum, i just want some feedback from you guys, i tried emailing mod to see if i can post this, they never reply. so if it doesn't belong here either just lock it... I am not recruiting and in no way will benefit from this just want some opnions. so don't ask me who this company is...

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First off, i'm gonna say i'm not going to say name of
company, just want to see if you think this is a good idea,
don't want you guys to think i'm trying to recruit ppl, as i'm
not a member of their 'sales team' yet.
last night i was tricked into seeing this presentation.

basically they are a telecommunication company, they sell
local service, LD, cell, internet services.
how their pyramid scheme works is:
the person on top of you gets like $100 for recruiting new
reps to sell their product, in order for them to get the $100
or whatever they neeed to help the new rep they recruited
get more rep and or ppl to sign up on their service. there
are set numbers for max # initial person can recruit to get
more $$ going.
in order for a person to go up higher on that ladder, like
move to higher position, they must get their newly recruited
rep must get a certain number of new 'reps'. and the lower
reps to get more new reps.

that goes on for like 7 levels, the person on top gets like
$100-300 for each person the person at the bottom gets
new recruits. and you also get tiny amount of commission
on the product they sale, like 1/4%, which is NOTHING.
this seems like a lot of money, as you get $200 or
whatever from ppl recruiting new members below you, i
don't got the specifics as i dont remember.
the bad part:
they want $300 up front for training cost or whatever.
they will train you so to speak, the right lines to say to
these ppl, they want you to target your friends relatives, as
they are concentrated on word of mouth advertisting. which
i agree is best method.

so to sum it up, how their program is different from other
programs is that the people on top have to help the people
they recruited in order for the very first person to succeed,
their benefits ($$) are greater if they get the new reps to
get more people. they like even promised me that i will get
the $300 back, which i believe as they have a much greater
incentive to get new people FOR ME than them signing up
new people themselves. as they want to climb up than
stay at original level

give me some feedback, i'm thinking of do'n this (the $$
from reps part, not tiny commission on sales)


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StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
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The mod gave you a reply in this thread. It SOUNDS like bullsh*t because it IS Bullsh*t. These schemes are for people who are eager to waste a lot of time and have their hopes dashed. Seriously steer clear. Lesson learned: if it sounds too good to be true - well you know the rest.

Don't bother with it.
 

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
rolleye.gif
 

BDawg

Lifer
Oct 31, 2000
11,631
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Anytime the phrase "pyramid scheme" is used, and doesn't involve a pile of cheeleaders on top of you, it's a bad idea.
 

Shelly21

Diamond Member
May 28, 2002
4,111
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Sounds like Excel.... . I don't think Excel is a pyramid scheme even thou it has a pyramid like structure.

That said, everyone that I know that got involved with Excel did not make any money! They actually put in a lot of time with little returns.

EDIT: read the whole post... this is worse than excel.... don't do it.
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
136
The company is Excel Communications, a legal and rather large long distance company based in Texas that's been in business for roughly 10 years. Under federal and state laws (in all 50 states), their form of "multi-level marketing" aka pyramid scheme is legal.
I'm no fan of them (I use Costco long distance), but they are very legit and legal, just FYI.

edit: and I would steer clear of them. They're a decent LD phone company but their multi-level marketing scheme is a total scam. I got conned into paying the fee and become one of their reps several years ago. Basically all they want is that fee, and the only way you get paid is to recruit others for their fees. Excel profits because most of their LD customers are ex-reps and their families.
 

royaldank

Diamond Member
Apr 19, 2001
5,440
0
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What are you selling? The post never really said what you are selling, just that it's a LD and comm company. Seems like the only way you to get paid by your post is to recruit more folks. And then they get paid to recruit. If that is the case, how would you expect the company to make money? Only so many people fall for it and then the well of fools will become empty.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
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scam.

For ANY multi-level-marketing scheme ask yourself whether you expect to make money selling the product or from the pyramid part. If it's the pyramid, it's a scam and at best you'll sucker a few friends and family into joining the pyramid, a great way to lose friends and hurt your family. If you say you'll make money from selling the product, be honest: would you actually buy it if the MLM aspect was taken away?

Just because MLMs selling inkjet refills or long distance are sometimes legal doesn't make them less of a scam. They still prey on people's greed to get "something for nothing" i.e. profit from the signup fees and (non-existent) sales from people below you on the pyramid.
 

308nato

Platinum Member
Feb 10, 2002
2,674
0
0
If it looks like a pyramid, smells like a pyramid, walks like a pyramid and no one can explain for sure how it got there and what its for its a pyramid.



rolleye.gif
 

Shelly21

Diamond Member
May 28, 2002
4,111
1
0
Excel is not a pyramid scheme... it is multi level marketing. Pyramid scheme is illegal in this country. Excel is even traded on the stock market. The difference between Excel and other schemes is that Excel actually offers phone service. Check google for more information.

There are a lot of problems with it... I debate with one of my friend (who's a die hard excel rep forever and never made it big and not disillusioned yet) all the time.
 

Skel

Diamond Member
Apr 11, 2001
6,218
679
136
Originally posted by: BDawg
Anytime the phrase "pyramid scheme" is used, and doesn't involve a pile of cheeleaders on top of you, it's a bad idea.

Too true...