{"id":252,"date":"2024-03-26T16:04:50","date_gmt":"2024-03-26T16:04:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/?p=252"},"modified":"2025-01-19T14:00:09","modified_gmt":"2025-01-19T14:00:09","slug":"mlm-or-ponzi-scheme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/26\/mlm-or-ponzi-scheme\/","title":{"rendered":"MLM or Ponzi Scheme?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"252\" class=\"elementor elementor-252\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0f5c67 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a0f5c67\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3b896f7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"3b896f7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!DOCTYPE html>\r\n<html lang=\"en\">\r\n<head>\r\n  <meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\r\n  <meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\">\r\n  <title>Disclaimer<\/title>\r\n  <style>\r\n    body {\r\n      font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\r\n      margin: 20px;\r\n      line-height: 1.6;\r\n    }\r\n    .disclaimer {\r\n      margin: 20px 0;\r\n      padding: 15px;\r\n      border: 1px solid #ccc;\r\n      background-color: #f9f9f9;\r\n      border-radius: 5px;\r\n    }\r\n    .disclaimer strong {\r\n      font-weight: bold;\r\n    }\r\n  <\/style>\r\n<\/head>\r\n<body>\r\n\r\n  <div class=\"disclaimer\">\r\n    All data on this page or website was gathered approximately on <strong>its creation date (as seen in the publication date  above)<\/strong>, and may no longer be accurate or up-to-date.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    All content represents personal opinions and should not be considered definitive statements, facts, or judgments. This website is intended for informational and educational purposes only.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    We are not liable for any decisions, actions, or consequences that arise from reliance on our content. We encourage all readers to conduct their own research and seek professional advice where appropriate.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    If you or your company believe you have been unjustly represented, please contact us at <a href=\"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/contact\/\">this link<\/a> so we can review and, if necessary, amend our content.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    All images, logos, and other content belong to their respective copyright owners and are used on this website under the principles of Fair Use for critique, commentary, and educational purposes.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    All information, content, images, videos, links and other data were gathered from publicly available sources.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    <strong>Clarification:<\/strong> This disclaimer applies to all domains, subdomains, posts, pages, and content operated by us, including but not limited to:\r\n    <ul>\r\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\">watchoutscam.com<\/a><\/li>\r\n    <\/ul>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <script>\r\n    \/\/ Get the current date\r\n    const currentDate = new Date();\r\n    const formattedDate = currentDate.toLocaleDateString('en-US', {\r\n      year: 'numeric',\r\n      month: 'long',\r\n      day: 'numeric',\r\n    });\r\n\r\n    \/\/ Insert the current date into the disclaimer\r\n    document.getElementById('creationDate').textContent = formattedDate;\r\n  <\/script>\r\n\r\n<\/body>\r\n<\/html>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-484b5e4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"484b5e4\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-321e4f7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"321e4f7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Disclaimer: Everything on this page or website is a personal opinion and not definitive statements or facts or judgements. We are not laible for the decisions our readers make based on our content, and we encourage all readers to do their own research. If you or your company have been unjustly wronged, contact us so we can review our content.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44c82c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"44c82c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">MLM or Ponzi Scheme? A guide to distinguish<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d80c0fa e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d80c0fa\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b337c8b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b337c8b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Lets imagine that you are just coming home from a meeting with a friend who haven&#8217;t contacted you since high school.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Now however, he meets up with you at a cafe pitching you an investment opportunity after some pleasentries.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>He might even had taken his &#8220;friend&#8221; to this meeting, who is doing the pitching instead.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>So what they are pitching is a legitimate investment opportunity, a break from your 9 to 5 work life? Or is it a scam?<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Read this article to know whether or not it is a scam!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db8d6e8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"db8d6e8\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1dcebad elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1dcebad\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Typical indicators of a scam<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-095bb66 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"095bb66\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b6dc8f3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b6dc8f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li>They will pitch high returns at a short amount of time.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>It is not clear how your money is used or how you are earning these returns.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>The whole business model is too complicated to explain in a few sentences.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>You will earn from the investment, but way more by recruiting others.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>The company is registered in Dubai or the British Virgin Islands.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>The company&#8217;s address links to a virtual office building.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>The company doesn&#8217;t disclose its address, real name or company registration number.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>The company registration number don&#8217;t match with any real entities in any company databases.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>Returns on investment are essentially guaranteed (or it feels like they are).<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>It&#8217;s a relatively new company.<\/li><li>They will say that the company utilizes a unique technology or found a &#8220;hidden gem&#8221; in the market or operational process.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>The company&#8217;s finances and reviews and other type of data are not available from a 3rd party site (only on their site).<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>The company has mixed reviews online (or outright negative)<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>It is complicated to withdraw your investment.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>It cost&#8217;s money to withdraw your investment (in processing and conversion and other types of fees).<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>Your money gets &#8220;locked&#8221; for certain period of time.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>In the terms, agreement and other policies they state &#8220;the company holds the right to modify the contents of these policies at any time at their own discretion &#8220;. Or anything that is similar to that.<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>The images on the site are fake (downloaded from somewhere else on the internet).<br \/><br \/><\/li><li>The company isn&#8217;t transparent (they will not publicize official documents of members, investors, finances etc). They will sometimes show fake or easy to acquire &#8220;3rd party reviews&#8221;, which is essentially useless.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-598fe58 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"598fe58\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>What are some known scams? (in my personal opinion)<\/strong><\/p><p>BlockBen<\/p><p>SunMoney<\/p><p>MaVie &#8211; Ultron- wULX &#8211; 369X<\/p><p>OneCoin<\/p><p>SafeCoin<\/p><p>platinworld<\/p><p>FTX<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e45ae9 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8e45ae9\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2829ae8 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"2829ae8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3b7ddd3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3b7ddd3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What else would you add here?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c694c5 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2c694c5\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2bafe7a6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2bafe7a6\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4dcc43bc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4dcc43bc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Disclaimer<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a6b41a6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3a6b41a6\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-742d3d87 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"742d3d87\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!DOCTYPE html>\r\n<html lang=\"en\">\r\n<head>\r\n  <meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\r\n  <meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\">\r\n  <title>Disclaimer<\/title>\r\n  <style>\r\n    body {\r\n      font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\r\n      margin: 20px;\r\n      line-height: 1.6;\r\n    }\r\n    .disclaimer {\r\n      margin: 20px 0;\r\n      padding: 15px;\r\n      border: 1px solid #ccc;\r\n      background-color: #f9f9f9;\r\n      border-radius: 5px;\r\n    }\r\n    .disclaimer strong {\r\n      font-weight: bold;\r\n    }\r\n  <\/style>\r\n<\/head>\r\n<body>\r\n\r\n  <div class=\"disclaimer\">\r\n    All data on this page or website was gathered approximately on <strong><span id=\"creationDate\"><\/span><\/strong>, and may no longer be accurate or up-to-date.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    All content represents personal opinions and should not be considered definitive statements, facts, or judgments. This website is intended for informational and educational purposes only.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    We are not liable for any decisions, actions, or consequences that arise from reliance on our content. We encourage all readers to conduct their own research and seek professional advice where appropriate.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    If you or your company believe you have been unjustly represented, please contact us at <a href=\"mailto:example@example.com\">this link<\/a> so we can review and, if necessary, amend our content.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    All images, logos, and other content belong to their respective copyright owners and are used on this website under the principles of Fair Use for critique, commentary, and educational purposes.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    All information, content, images, videos, links and other data were gathered from publicly available sources.\r\n    <br><br>\r\n    <strong>Clarification:<\/strong> This disclaimer applies to all domains, subdomains, posts, pages, and content operated by us, including but not limited to:\r\n    <ul>\r\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\">watchoutscam.com<\/a><\/li>\r\n    <\/ul>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <script>\r\n    \/\/ Get the current date\r\n    const currentDate = new Date();\r\n    const formattedDate = currentDate.toLocaleDateString('en-US', {\r\n      year: 'numeric',\r\n      month: 'long',\r\n      day: 'numeric',\r\n    });\r\n\r\n    \/\/ Insert the current date into the disclaimer\r\n    document.getElementById('creationDate').textContent = formattedDate;\r\n  <\/script>\r\n\r\n<\/body>\r\n<\/html>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Multi Level Marketing or Scam? Maybe Ponzi Scheme? Maybe Pyramid Scheme?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":259,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=252"}],"version-history":[{"count":34,"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":518,"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252\/revisions\/518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/watchoutscam.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}