CONSUMER ALERT

  Avoid dealing with salespeople who:

• Disparage other products or firms.
• Confuse you, abuse your trust, or exploit your lack of experience or knowledge.
• Try to make you cancel a contract made with another salesperson.
• Falsely tell you they're taking a survey or you've just won a contest.

  Avoid dealing with companies that:

• Charge a substantial entry fee (more than the cost of a sales kit).
• Pressure you to purchase large quantities of products.
• Do not repurchase inventory if you decide to leave the business.
• Sell few or no products to consumers.
  
  
  

Things you should know about pyramid schemes

• They are losers. Pyramiding is based on simple mathematics: many losers pay a few winners.
• They are fraudulent. Participants in a pyramid scheme are, consciously or unconsciously, deceiving those they recruit. Few would pay to join if the diminishing odds were explained to them.
• They are illegal. There is a real risk that a pyramid operation will be closed down by law enforcement officials and the participants subject to fines and possible arrest.