Utah - America's Pyramid Scam Capital

[jberryhill]

http://www.pyramidschemealert.org/PSAMain/news/UtahScamState.html

Utah is already notorious for scams. An Associated Press story in 2000 stated:
"Salt Lake City -- Welcome to Utah. Now watch your wallet.
The Olympic vote-buying scandal was in keeping with a state known for its dubious financial dealings and frauds, both petty and grand. So prevalent are the scams that Salt Lake City has a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission office that fights investor fraud. It is by far the smallest city with such a presence."

[AnotherMcIntosh]

1. When the foundation is based upon a scam ("You'll get your reward in the next life."), it's easy to

see why some would follow that lead.

[Drunken Irishman]

2. Utah is also the multi-level marketing capital of the world.

Much of it is because Mormons are very easily duped due to how trustworthy they are. I see it all the time, especially the older Mormons who are milked out of their life savings to prop up a pyramid scheme. Moreover, you've got a lot of housewives who want some disposable income, so they get involved with these schemes in hopes of getting some easy cash while running a 'business' out of their living room.

It rarely works.

[msongs]

4. quick, name the biggest pyramid scheme going in Utah to this very day! nt

[jberryhill]

9. Can I get my own planetary downline?

[longship]

5. Rarely? More like never.

Except those who start the scam. They get filthy rich.

Just ask the DeVos family of Grand Rapids, MI and their evil spawn and in-laws. DeVos started AmWay, one early scams of this ilk. Remember Blackwater? That's DeVos family, too.

Multi-level marketing is nothing but a scam to trickle money from the lower classes up to the upper class.

Any rational society would outright outlaw it.

[Aviation Pro]

11. Yeah, one of the Devos daughters married....

...Erik Prince, but Blackwater was his own.

[Drunken Irishman]

12. I agree...I've never done it, that's why I said rarely.

I don't know if there are a few success stories or not. But it is a scam and it should be more regulated than it is.

[Quantess]

6. I had the idea that MLM = pyramid scemes

But I could be mistaken.

There is a strong element of "The Secret" involved in these. Visualize yourself fabulously wealthy as you "invest" in a multi-level-marketing "business".

A few years back I worked with a deluded 19 year old who was pushing his MLM on me. He wanted to be a wealthy high roller, and was so arrogant. He was such a lttle jerk, and he should have known better than to keep asking me to invest in his "great business" distributing bottled water. I wonder what he is doing now? Crying in his pillow, maybe.

[Drunken Irishman]

13. They essentially are...

You start at the bottom and they tell you you can work your way up through the system. But you still have to report to someone who reports to someone who reports to someone. You don't get rich on 'em and there is also a good chance you actually lose money in the end.

But I see it all the time here. It works for a very select few who got in at the very beginning and then were able to con naive people. But I've yet to meet someone who started at the bottom and worked their way to the top.

[jberryhill]

8. You know there's more to it than that

That big Herbalife thing at the West end of Temple has a lot more to do with what goes on inside some of the other buildings on that street than outsiders taking advantage.

[dimbear]

3. Honestly, Salt Lake has so many federal buildings by accident. It is the only inhabitable

moderately large city for miles and miles and miles.

Hint: almost all of Utah is useless desert.

It does sound like this is an improvement over Utah's usual tawdry phone scams. They were demeaning.

[jberryhill]

7. Useless desert?

Phoenix and Vegas are within shouting distance. I lived in Logan for a short spell and while there were plenty of useless things there, the desert was the least of that.

[dimbear]

10. Just for a second remember the drive from Wendover to Tooele.

Recall seeing much of any use?

[jberryhill]

14. Have I ever told you that story?

"So, what is it?"

"Honey, you're not going to believe this, but it's a metaphor."

[dimbear]

15. Yup. That crazy thing and the strange messages spelled out in rocks. Surreal.

If I recall, it is the longest straight stretch of highway in the United States. It used to be possible to drive it extremely fast, back in the old days. Not so much now.

That is also the stretch of highway once spread with amusing signs, like "Methodists: beware of Mormon Crickets" and such.

I miss the stone age.