by spacejenkins
I’m sure this has been posted about a bunch before, but want to post a reminder as I was just attempted to be recruited to one of these!
I saw right through it once she started actually talking numbers, and was skeptical from the beginning (mostly because I swear to god this girl never broke eye contact with me) but here’s the story:
I work at a Barnes and Noble and this girl around my age (mid 20s) came up to me asking help finding a book (After researching the scheme, apparently they target places like this! Another guy was approached at a Target) I don’t remember how but we got into conversation about wanting to give back to our communities and wishing we had more money to be able to get by and spend more time doing that. The convo went on for a few mins and then ended and that was that. But then later, kid you not, she startled the hell out of me just by standing in an isle that I walked by. I don’t know why I was so surprised, it’s a store, so people browse… but I was. She then started the convo up again, saying she’ll see what she can do, no promises, but she’s in this business group where they mentor each other and make enough money on the side to get by, yada yada. Why she wouldn’t have mentioned that the first time we talked, I have no idea (perhaps some psychological trick).
We exchange numbers, she calls me a few days later (which felt weird; I’m not against calling, but I’ve never met another person my age that didn’t text first if we didn’t know each other) and we agree to meet for coffee a few days later.
At coffee we chat and she essentially interviews me and I end up telling her my life story basically (honestly don’t regret it, it was kinda nice to hear myself say it all out loud 😆) and she says I’m a great fit, but she doesn’t want to give me more info yet, I have to read 30 pages of this book that she’ll send me a PDF of (I forget the title but you can find it by searching Amway scam lol), and we agree to meet again. God this sounds insane, typing it out haha.
Second meeting was tonight. She asked me some more questions, and then finally I get to see what this secret business is all about. What do you know, Amway! Graphs of literal pyramids! $218 start up fee! Having to buy all of your household products through the company! Making $9 commission from $300 sales (which she said was amazing and I had to stiffen a laugh)! More talk about how exclusive it is! How she’s had such great mentors through this! I can soon get $3,000 a month, even though that math doesn’t add up!
Immediately after the meeting I called my best friend and told him everything and we had a laugh. I googled the scheme and found boat loads of similar stories. Out of curiosity I texted her a link to a video about the scam, and she sent me a block of text that sounded like a Scientologist explanation (“Don’t believe any negativity! Everyone else is wrong, we’re right!”)
Thought I’d share the story in case anyone got or gets tricked into this. She was good. Thought for a hot sec I might have made a new friend, a group of like minded business folk, and some extra cash. Of course though, if it sounds too good to be true, it is.
One good thing that came out of it was that now I’m more motivated to find a real group like this in my city.
TL;DR young, enthusiastic girl started a convo with me at a Barnes & Noble, talked about some exclusive business mentor ship group that made good money on the side, interviewed me & told me to read a book… annnnd it is a scheme.
Beware, folks! The schemers are relentless and at a store near you!
EDIT: text screenshots of her response to the scam video – imgur.com/gallery/lBMoyPK
