Re: Pyramid schemes are illegal

Joseph Lazaro wrote:
> 
> Pyramid schemes have long been illegal when conducted by mail in the
> United States or Canada.
> 
> Reasons not to try multi-level marketing schemes:
> - You Could Be Prosecuted
> - You Will Get Flames
> - You Will Probably Lose Internet Access
> - You Could Even Reduce Your Nation to Chaos * I bet you think I'm
> exaggerating.
> 
> Confirm these facts and get full information on pryamid schemes
> available at http://www.wco.com/~rteeter/pyramid.html
> Please take a minute to check it out for your own benefit.


Well, even though this has absolutly nothing to do with this newsgroup,
I just wanted to say that that last message was misleading to say the
very least. Yes, 'pyramid schemes' are illegal, and I find the ones 
posted here just as annoying as the next person, but you generalize with
your statement. Multi-level marketing, by definition alone, is NOT an
illegal pyramid scheme, although several pyramids do falsely take on
the name Multi-level marketing to give themselves more credit than they
earn.  But don't put down a legitimate business operation just because
a few morons decide they like to call themselves that.
    Oh, and using the internet or mail does not make one of these 
illegal. It is merely a common way illegal schemes are distributed. The
part people should watch out for is the schemes that actually do not 
distribute a product or service. That is what makes them illegal. I have
actually seen chain letters where you send everyone who gives you a buck
a recipie or such, and said distribution of an actual product or service
actually makes that chain letter legal, even though it was done over the
U.S. Postal Service.  So try to research something before you put it 
down, for your own sake. You may just overlook something that could help
you.

Zeus