All MLMs operate on two fundamental principles.
PRINCIPLE ONE:
Selling you hopes and dreams. It's not the product they're selling you. The product is merely a prop on the stage. No, they reel you in with grandiose promises ("Own your own business!" Work at your own time!" "Look at our members' success stories!" "Retire comfortably!").
Once you're in, you have to mix around with the 'right' kind of people, read the 'right' kind of literature, and don't forget to attend seminars where they get celebrities to endorse the company and bombard you with upbeat music and applause. They're getting you into a state of emotional high so you are less likely to leave.
PRINCIPLE TWO:
Recruitment. Yes, sometimes it's disguised as making an upfront payment to buy a 'starter kit' but the concept is the same: you become a member, become someone else's downline. Once you've signed up, someone else further up the food chain makes some money. That is the so-called success story.
It's sad there are so many gullible people, but sometimes people have to learn the hard way as we navigate through life.
P.S: Don't depend on the scummy, incompetent CASE to protect your rights. The PAP govt is unabashedly pro-business, its institutions can never be entrusted to protect the rights of citizens. It could have nipped this in the bud many years ago, but it didn't. That should speak volumes.
Yes, I recall many years back on the recommendation of a friend to buy a starter kit, I recall it cost almost 200 dollars, more as a favor rather than interest.
Anyway after that didn't really hear from them as well. If I recall correctly the company was Amway.
There was another instance where I received call from long time colleague, both of them, female invited me to some talk, told them was not interested, but kept asking to attend. So say ok, but was told need to pay to attend the talk, I think was 100dollars to buy a kit, CDs, reading materials etc. told them, if need to pay then forget it.
Meanwhile one if them say, ok, no need to attend, but she will lend me her CDs for initial review, took it from her, but did not really bother to listen to it. 1 week later was asked whether interested to join, told them no, best part came when they told me I have to pay 25 dollars for the CD, told them they could have it back. And they actually took it back. Come to think if it, really had a good laugh. They even have their up line to talk to me on the virtue of joining, promoting their health products, but cost few hundreds to thousand to buy from them, with rebate for you, if you get others to join.
Sounds familiar.......