So, you've been laid off from your job.  You've dutifully posted your resume to various job sites hoping a legitimate recruiter will match you up and you can re-enter the working.

Laying in wait are the scammers, and there are plenty.  This article talks about Multi-Level Marketing schemes (some might say scams) and how you have become prime real estate for them.

There's a term you should become familiar with: "Downline"  All MLM and Pyramid Schemes depend on growing the number of participants, and often this is your main job.  You get a portion of the sales of everyone you recruit, so obviously you want to recruit a lot of people.  Some companies pay a bonus (like $100) for each person you recruit, and you get a bit for each person they recruit, and they recruit, etc.  You often make more money on this than anything.  So this endless recruiting process is called "Building Your Downline."  That's what all these scams are doing, recruiting you to build their "downline."

You, as the new recruit, will pay for something, sometimes $1000 or more for "training" and "startup materials" and "licensing."  The opportunities to gig you for money are endless once they get you in.  This is why they pay rewards to people building their "downline."  YOU are the product they're selling.

They are incredibly good about "burying the lead" on these "exciting opportunities."  Most of us have experienced some kind of MLM sales pitch, like AMWAY, so they have to put lipstick on the pig to trick you.  Here are some sample emails I've received:

This one seems legit, but why does a Data Entry Operator need to know all about finance and insurance?  You're just entering data.  Why does the Operator need to contact clients for "missing data" (aka Cold Call Sales)?  This isn't a data entry position, its a sales position selling financial and insurance products over the phone.  Their "structured environment" is pyramid shaped.

A quick search shows a high probabilty that this job posting is modeled after the "Account Solutions, Associate" job posted by Charles Schwab, also in El Paso, posted on Linked In 2 days prior.  However, the Schwab posting lacks the pyramid-sounding language.  The Schwab job is CLEARLY a sales job, managing the sales queue and making cold calls.  So either its entirely fake, or the recruiter has seriously burried the lead by calling it "Data Entry."

Suddenly you get an email from [company name] thanking you for your application. You've never heard of them before let alone applied there.  I got two in the same day.  This is a prepatory email for when their "recuiter" (downline associate) contacts you about the "exciting opportunity" in Finance and Insurance.   

I got two of these simultaneously.  When you dig in, you discover both companies are essentially the same company, and their domain registration is anonymous.  Why would a legitimate company have its domain registration anonymous?

If there's any question about them being MLM, here's an article

Researching the Internet, the jury seems to be out as to whether Farmers is a pyramid or MLM.  Some people feel it is, others say no.  But clearly recruiting everyone and their dog to be an agent has very much the vibe of a "downline".  In any case, predatory recruiting by screen scraping resumes is a bit sketch.  I never once asked Farmers about joining them, got this email, a cold call, AND a text from people building their "downline" in the same day.  So clearly someone entered me as a "hot lead" based on my resume.

So, a quick look at this person's profile shows they "work" as  "Outreach/Sourcing Specialist" for "World Financial Group (WFG)".  I actually got pinged several times and even cold-called for WFG.

You can read all about WFG here and decide for yourself.

I could go on, but I think you get the point.  I hope this article has armed you with some knowledge to reinforce your critical thinking skills.  If alarm bells are sounding, pump the brakes.

"Believe MLM" is a hillarious parody of MLM schemes.  If you've ever had friends who've been sucked into these, you'll recognize it in this movie.  Here's a snippet where the owner of the company talks about "Honesty"   Funny.. and not.

I don't think most people would consider MLMs a valid business "opportunity" for anyone but those at the top.  Do yourself and your friends and family a favor and say "No."  

The cautionary tale of Herbalife

A notable exception would be Mary Kay but then  Mary Kay sells actual product, limits its sales reps, and isn't constantly building "downline."  So while they have a MLM'ish structure, they're legit.

Signs your "insurance company" is a pyramid scheme - good read