training others
to sell products. The distributors' compensation includes their own sales and a
percentage of the sales of their sales group (downline). “So,” you say,
“that just sounds like a good idea for making money.” Well, it IS a good way
for making money. The problem is that it can be illegal. Do you see that
tip-off word, ‘recruiting’? The other tip-off that this is a MLM scheme is the
phrase, ‘percentage of sales’. There is nothing
illegal about setting up and affiliate program and PAYING a percentage of sales
to those who sell your products or services to others. There is nothing illegal
about COLLECTING the percentages that are offered by the producers of the
products or services. That is simply good business and a more than just common
practice in the Internet business world. The problem
arises when you start COLLECTING percentages of sales from people whom you have
recruited to sell the product. Then another level is added and it becomes
multi-level marketing. Even one additional level can illegal but there are MLM
schemes that will have many, MANY layers. The main
Internet banking and money exchange on the Internet is Paypal. Paypal employs
full-time personnel to search for and identify MLM schemes. When these schemes
are uncovered, the account (and all attached accounts and credit cards) are
frozen. Yes, it might be true
that sometimes Paypal could misidentify a perfectly legitimate business as a MLM
scheme but it doesn’t happen very often and the problem can usually be resolved
in just two or three business days. This very thing happened to a friend of
mine not long ago. It was resolved but not without him being able to prove that
his business was not a MLM scheme. This does point
out the fact, however, that there are those who are looking for illegal MLM
schemes. You may think that you are very anonymous on the Internet but when you
do business on the Internet you are not longer anonymous. Beware of Lions There are a lot
of big hungry lions in the Internet marketing jungle. They are looking for easy
marks...they love newbies best of all.
|