The Cult Next Door: The Shocking Truth About MLM Schemes and Wellness Influencers

Comments · 85

• LA

  @LaurenSuzanne0622 · 2 months ago

  My son is my fact checker. Before I get involved in anything I show it to him, and he often says, “Mom, that’s AI.” He has saved me many times.

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• JO

  @joannebattersby8365 · 2 months ago

  My small town has 6000 people in the North with the closest community 100 miles away. A whole lot of people i knew- a choir director, a high school teacher , 2 cousins and all the folks that they brought in - to Amway. At least 20 people i knew. Now, i am a dressmaker and the population of our town was just right for the 3 of us in town. Now, i couldn't make the Amway recruitment numbers work for me- everyone in town will be in a pyramid scheme, selling to each other. 100 mile to another community also likely in the pyramid scheme. How would anyone make money? Its crazy. It made me crazy because after the first invitation from a cousin - for the evening- thinking it was an evening party. Paid a sitter. Got dressed up. A F5cking Amway schill. I was so dissappointed and utterly disgusted. 😢. 20 years later the same cousin called. He was trying to form his own bullshit church.😮 money money money. His first job was selling bibles door to door lol. Then insurance😂. A certain personality.

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• PA

  @patclark1622 · 2 months ago

  Your kindness and support, and your kind approach are beautiful Steven. Thank you.

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• SC

  @Scorple1 · 1 month ago

  I enjoyed this conversation. I was in some MLMs and in 2 cults and this provided insight into why some of us are more vulnerable to grifters and their scams.

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• CR

  @Crosswyred8000 · 16 hours ago

  The latest Cormerant Strike ( R Galbraith author) story- The running grave- has a neuro divergent victim being recruited to a cult and what it took to get them out.  A really great story.

• KA

  @kaylaA189 · 2 months ago

  That intro has got to be the BEST intro ever. Told me everything about Dr. Hassan

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• LE

  @leadwithlove21 · 2 months ago

  Shaklee and Mary Kay got a lot of my money buying supplies so that I could sell to my non-existent customers. Back in the 70's, 80's MLM's gave advise on how to write off everything and file jointly with your spouse getting back all  the money with held by state and federal taxes. Thank goodness no audit happened because many others got in trouble for this.

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• BE

  @bettyhappschatt3467 · 2 months ago

  My traits have perhaps protected me from mlm recruitment. I have often had the thought "This does not add up" with things that look too good to be true. One of my enlightening experiences was losing my belief in Santa when I was around 5 years old. I remember what it is like to be all in the fairy tale  and I still do it once in a while. Working in public health care has been the most insidious trap for me.

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• DE

  @deinfluenced_darling · 2 months ago (edited)

  I’m exmormon and was briefly involved in Bodi (Beachbody) for approximately 9 months. I left when things just got too similar especially when I got attacked for appreciating and acknowledging cultural meanings behind foods (I’m not talking funeral potatoes lol) and saying it was ok to partake in these foods within moderation. That ended it right then and there for me. I’m not giving up my Asian and Italian heritage for a dysmorphic commercial cult.

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• RO

  @RobertLeland-j1e · 2 months ago

  A brother of someone I knew was in one of these MLM cults. We met with his supervisor once, and he tried to tell us that working 9-5 was for losers who did not have a dream. He found a way to criticize what each of us was doing.  It probably was a form of unfreezing. The brother, unfortunately, was pretty convinced this was the way to go.

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• OL

  @olliethedaywalker · 2 months ago

  9 years in Amway, obviously not a millionaire, not even an Eagle IBO 😂, but sure wasted thousands of dollars and hours chasing the dream. I’ve been waiting for this episode. Honestly, looking back, it stopped being about chasing the dream after about year 3, after my upline and entire team quit in year 2; for about a year after I was still chasing the dream. The final 6 years were really just about maintaining the front so I could stay in the group. By that point I’d turned my back on goals and passions I had before I got in. I’d alienated a lot of people who were close to me because “broke people don’t know anything I need to know,” right Mr. Britt? Don’t watch the news, don’t read newspapers, just read our books, listen to our CDs, and go to our meetings and conferences. “Don’t pass negative up-line or cross-line,” so people don’t know you’re not making any money or are in debt because of the guidance you received. “If you quit this what else are you going to do,” even though there were people who became wealthy or retired from regular jobs without Amway.

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• GE

  @gerger5670 · 2 months ago

  Stampin Up! At least a pyramid scheme!

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