[sushantr5]

Originally Posted by Thamizha

Thanks for such a detailed input. Ofcourse it was the holiday package which was more interesting. But looks like I was made to dream about this. What you say makes absolute sense. You said you couldnt help your friend. But looks like now you did.

Thanks a lot sushantr5 for the enlightment.

To be more precise, it is not holiday package, it is just hotel stay.

I will explain one product proposed to me...
Rs.1,00,000 for 21 days holiday. Max 7 days can be availed in a year. You can avail this alternate year. Package will be valid after 45 days of booking.

Now, 1,00,000/ 21 = Rs. 4761 per night for 3* hotel. They claim 3* to 7* hotel but it is marketing.

I do not see any benefit in this package. Better invest that money and live peacefully.

[audioholic]

Recently, a distant friend of mine called. He wanted to meet me for a presentation. I was wondering from where this fellow suddenly popped up and that too for a presentation. I told him to explain during the phone call itself. Then he gave a link to some website named ebizel. Basically, you need to pay them around 10k for some sort of computer training material. Then every member you introduce to this scheme, returns you some amount of money as reward. I asked him what course he was taking. He replied that he finished a course in MS Paint That was when I realised something does not seem to be proper. For every member we introduce, we get some amount. But the company itself gets 10k for each member and the chain continues. I told him I was not interested and cut the call. Seems like he was desperate in convincing someone to take this up, hoping to gain some money

[OHCVtec]

Beware my friends, I have been there and done that. I became a member and unfortunately convinced a couple of my friends as well. I never recieved the watch I had ordered and my friend who got his says his watch is hopeless, not worth even 1500. I know a lot of people who never got the products they ordered. We paid 30K at that time, somewhere in 2007. Stay away, the only way to earn $$ is to work hard and smart, not conning people as these MLM guys(specially QNet) do.

[sushantr5]

Basically I did attend one of the seminar on my friends request. My pure intention was having free lunch, so I said yes. Picture portrayed there is really worry some. I could see dream sparkle in everybody's eyes.

In audioholic case it was mspaint training but in this case it was holiday package. They are selling valid(May Be) package at higher price. Basically I asked one question to people over there, Have you used this holiday Package? Surprising no body used this package. Explanation for not using was, we are too busy in spreading this business, we want be tomorrow's millionaire. I will work hard now for two years and do all sort lavish holidaying after two years. Don't mind all these people are highly educated guys working in IT/BPO/Banking.

These people are brainwashed. Seriously after looking at Nepal I started thinking that my country never takes care of its people.

Though I enjoyed Lunch there...

[gauravdgr8]

Kind of the same experience that everyone has had. I too was invited for one of the presentations.

Now my friend who invited me knew that I am free only on Saturdays and Sundays so he booked me for a Sunday noon session. However he did not know me well. I am the sort who just does not like to be time bound on these 2 days specially in the afternoons. I was too lazy to get up from my bean bag with kids on my lap.

My friend kept calling me till late noon only to explain me the scheme over the phone. He said bhai 30,000/- is peanuts for you. I said well yes, but why do I spend money on peanuts when I don't want them. I gave him the explanation that not all places have 7 star hotels and I ain't paying a regular 4k+ on a 3 star always. Moreover my work is such that I don't want to be timebound for my vacation, like taking once in 2 years.

He then said no problem, give me some references for the evening session and I then had to tell him that in my circle noone would be interested. That's purely from the hundres of news items we have seen in the years gone by, I did not want someone to be stuck because of me.

The only system that has genuinely prevailed in the country that I can think of is Avon/Oriflame/Amway. Rest all have maybe survived max a couple of years.

Till date whenever I meet him he keeps counting the goodness of the scheme whereas I am like staring at my car and thinking what a beauty it is and where shall I drive it next to.

I would say: Stay Away.

Note: I have no business connections with Avon/Oriflame/Amway. Just that these names popped out of my head when read about MLM.

[avisidhu]

Let me add something to what you guys have mentioned. In a majority of such cases, the individuals eloped abroad with all the money and never got prosecuted. At least none that I am aware of.

Unfortunately most of them have now returned back, having used a part of the ill gotten wealth to take care of the various FIR's and court cases, and gain political clout as well. Now some of these are respectable players in Real Estate, Healthcare, Agri Business just to name a few. (One such character has been made an MP by a political party in news for stalling it's allies policies in the center).

Giving names of individuals and companies does not make sense without proof, but would advise fellow BHPians to be extra careful even outside the MLM realm as these fellows have spread their tentacles far and wide with time.

[DueLLeR]

I was lured today to attend a e-commerce business opportunity meeting by an acquaintance. Those being keywords of the industry I belong to, I went ahead in a 'selling' mode. Five minutes into the conversation, I knew this is another Amway / JapanLife sort of a scheme. I was told, today I drive a Polo, in two years, I can drive a 530D!

I was introduced to some 10-12 members, from all walks of life - such as bankers, IT professionals, doctors and even business men who shut down their legit business because they were earning so much from QNet. Apparently, even the co-founder of Flipkart and Sir Richard Branson of Virgin were members. By now, I was extremely bored waiting to run out of that place. As I left, I was asked to meet them tomorrow to discuss the financials to be a member. They took down my name, DOB, mother's name and e-mail ID. I was also asked for my PAN, which I didn't citing I didn't have the card with me, although I had it on the tip of my tongue.

As soon as I left, I googled and found a lot of information explaining the scam and countries that have banned QNet. This thread on TBHP was the last word to convince me not to go ahead with it.

Two rules of common sense that my dad taught me ran thru my mind as I listened to their hard selling to make me dream:

1. There's nothing such as a free lunch, there's no easy way to make money unless it is wrong/illegal.

2. If something looks too good to be true, it probably isn't.

At least, I got a free coffee at Costa!

Cheers!
DueLLeR

[Sprucegoose]

Another word for these schemes are ponzi schemes.
They are illegal.
They are probably changing the parameters just enough to stay legal, or this being India they've probably paid of someone to let them run.


Once you get in you will only make money by begging and swindling your friends out of their money and to top it off, most of that money will go to someone above you.

A friend of mine approached me to join an "MLM" scheme. But they wanted me to invest between 1 - 6 Lakhs before they would give me details.

Bought a Skoda Octavia vRS instead .

[WanderNomad]

I am surprised howcome noone has come to defend these schemes. Afterall tbhp is a forum of well educated, qualified and well placed professionals. And these are the people who are getting brainwashed to join these schemes. I was hoping some member would try his luck hard to convince others on this thread and then maybe get some members under him from here.

I have been approached many a times for these schemes by friends and I am about to add a signature to my name - MLM please stay away. I just hate the idea of exploiting your social circle and befooling them into the scam. And what I dislike even more is that all the guys doing it are well educated nincompoops.

[DueLLeR]

Originally Posted by WanderNomad

I am surprised howcome noone has come to defend these schemes. Afterall tbhp is a forum of well educated, qualified and well...

Soliciting members to go for any product or service that leads to commercial gain would be against the forum rules.

[Catalyst_delhi]

Funny I found this thread , 2 days ago I was called by a close friend for a business proposal at CCD, there was this very influential person - people from Dell would know this person as their ex CIO. He showed a check for 42 lacs and his new A6. Tempting but the investment 1 lacs and I have to get 2 members under me etc. They went to the point of doing the "transaction" of 1 lac the same night and start my "induction". I did not budge , went to a dhaba ate chicken rotis and headed home. I wonder if this business is really this profitable.

[sindabad.sailor]

A very close friend of mine is doing this QNet quite whole heartedly. It was him who forced me to buy Rich Dad Poor Dad.
He has set himself well with that now. His CA wife has now quit the employment and pursuing this full time. Few years back he quit his job in India and took one in Dubai. It was here that he was introduced to this Q Net. Now he is having a network in a few GCC countries and often spends his weekends in neighbouring GCC countries on his marketing drive.
I was introduced to this once by him but I had my own reservations against all this network marketing.
In any case, our friendship is too close for us to discuss the differences.
But since he is into this for about 6-7 yrs I guess this whole set up is not fly by night type.
I am in no way advocating this but just mentioning first hand observations. As mentioned I haven't been part of this as I don;t believe that I can motivate so many people to plonk money in this idea.

[voyageur]

Found this on You-tube,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVlHf1ff5CM

[Samurai]

Amway India CEO is arrested for breaking Indian laws.

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-m...ange_laws.html

http://articles.economictimes.indiat...-indian-market

[girimajiananth]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Amway India CEO is arrested for breaking Indian laws.

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-m...ange_laws.html

http://articles.economictimes.indiat...-indian-market

Thanks for this update . But what took them so long to make this arrest ? Was it not for seen ?