Charles Ponzi Alive or A Plain Old Pyramid Scheme
This is a prime example of the centuries old Pyramid scheme and it is a shame that in this day and age people are still falling for this scam. I have taken the liberty of removing the actual email addresses listed in the correspondence.
If you are not familiar with these schemes, take a look at this article published by the Federal Trade Commission.”
I might add that this type of activity and anyone involved is participating in an illegal activity. This is fraud in its purest form.
From: cashrewardz02@info.com.ph
Subject: Start Collecting Your US$20 New Year’s Gift
Date: December 26, 2007 2:45:01 PM EST (CA)
Reply-To: optbiz4u@dores.com
Hello Fellow Money-Seeker,
SPEND $40 TO MAKE $40,000. is that a deal or not!
it is working now and working very well.
That’s Right. $40,000 dollars in your PayPal account and that’s NO BULL!!!
IT WAS PROVEN ON OPRAH and is COMPLETELY LEGAL!!!
You may have heard of this program (or one like it) on 20/20 or even in the
Wall Street Journal. $10 Dollars… that’s all it takes. I’ll try to keep it
short and sweet.
To get started just right mouse click and copy this whole page and paste it
in an e-mail to edit it. Simply follow the instructions below and in 2 to 3
weeks, you will have as much as $40,000 dollars in your PayPal account or
even more.
Most people respond to this program because of the low investment ($40
dollars) and high profit potential. There is no limit to the income you can
generate from this (you can do it over and over). If you follow the
instructions, you will reach thousands of people! Honesty, Faith, and
Integrity make this system work.
I think everyone has heard of PayPal. Anyone with an e-mail address can join
for F*R*E*E*! If you’re not already a PayPal user, the first thing you need
to do is sign up. Just click the link below! It’s really easy to set up and
it’s F*R*E*E*!!! Just make sure you have a Business or Premier account or
you may be subject to a monthly income limitation which may slow this
program down.
http://www.paypal.com
TEAM WORK MAKES THIS DREAM WORK! LET’S GET STARTED: Send a $20.00 dollar
donation from your PayPal account to THE FIRST e-mail address on the list
along with a note saying “Please add me to your list.” Now send the other
$20.00 donation and an e-mail to the 5th person on the list saying “Thanks.
I’ve joined.”
Remove the 1st e-mail address and place your address at the bottom. This
moves the 2nd to 1st, 3rd to 2nd, 4th to 3rd, and the 5th place into 4th.
DO NOT TRY TO PLACE YOURSELF IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT WILL ONLY REACH THE
PEOPLE YOU SEND IT TO, AND THEN YOUR NAME WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST!
If you do this the way it was designed, it will reach thousands by the time
your name gets to the top. REMEMBER TO SEND a $20.00 dollar donation to the
1st e-mail address and the message “PLEASE ADD ME TO YOUR LIST”, and send an
email with the words “THANKS. I’VE JOINED” and the other $20.00 donation to
the 5th person. This helps the 5th person keeps track of progress of the
letter and continue to send out more emails. Here is the list:
1. XXX@yahoo.com
2. XXX@XXXline.com
3. XXXXX@yahoo.com
4. XXX@yahoo.com
5. XXX@yahoo.com
(Make sure it’s the same e-mail address that you used to open your PayPal
account. This is the way you will receive payment)
Now that you have paid the 1st person and 5th person and sent them both an
email, a note, and placed your e-mail address in the 5th place, the only
thing left to do is to mail out at least 20 copies of this letter. It is
your job as the 5th person on the list to ensure there are at least 20
“thank you I’ve joined” replies. The fifth person is the guardian of the
system! If there are not at least 20 replies then the fifth person will keep
sending the letter until there is.
MAKE SURE YOU SEND $20 DOLLARS TO THE FIRST PERSON TO THANK THEM FOR WHEN
THEY WERE THE GUARDIAN OF THE LETTER and $20 DOLLARS TO THE FIFTH PERSON SO
MORE EMAILS CONTINUE TO GO OUT!
You will receive gratis – thanks AND THE SAME BLESSING. When your name is on
the 1st slot, 8,000 to 15,000 people will send you 20 dollars! Keep in
mind… the most you spent is $40 DOLLARS! (Remember… what goes around
comes around)
TESTIMONIALS:
Mary Gatters, Columbus, SC:
I only have one thing to say to you… OH MY GOD! I sent out 142 copies
total before 20 replied, like the instructions said. Then I went on a short
vacation. When I got back my account had over $32,000 dollars in it already
and the money was still coming! I’m still floating on air (especially with
my new car). I thought the guardian system sounded cheesy, but now I realize
it is the formula that makes this letter really work! THANKS!
Step 1. Set up your PayPal account, if you don’t already have one, and send
the top name (1st person) $20.00 dollars. DONT FORGET to include “Please add
me to your list.” This is important as it keeps the program legal.
Step 2. Send the other $20.00 dollars and an e-mail stating “Thank you. I’ve
Joined” to the 5th name on the list.
Step 3. Remove the top name, bump the other 4 names up 1 place each. Place
your name in the bottom slot – you will receive a minimum of $100.00 or more
from your efforts.
Step 4. Keep sending the letter until you get 20 “Thank you. I’ve joined”
replies in your inbox.
I know that or maybe you have seen or heard of this on Oprah or even
received numerous messages about this simple program and have probably just
deleted them. I know I have! But for some unknown reason this time I decided
to give it a try. After all, it’s only a $40.00 investment! Please give it
an honest effort, you will not be disappointed and will be very glad you did
when it starts to work. Remember, all you’re going to be out of pocket is
about the cost of a couple of coffees with the opportunity of banking
thousands of dollars into your PayPal account!
Yours In Success and Prosperity!
3 Comments »
Leave a comment
-
Flickr Photos
More Photos
im tired of hearing that this is a scam..it really can work but its also dangerous cuz ,we dont want the wrong people gettn money.but these people sayn it cant work are liars!!..reguardless of what type of math they try to use to disprove this doesnt work..they cant determine what a person will do.if people decide to do this it will work.just hopefully they use the money for good.
Frank,
It is simply illegal, there is no changing that.
Exactly how is it illegal??
I concede that the “pyramid scheme” rarely works, and even if it does, not for very long.. But this is mainly due to the fact that most people see it as “bad”, and refuse to participate.. And, yes, the exhaustible supply of participants.. (not even 7billion possible participants)
Assuming that all the conditions are met, it will surely and obviously work.
This particular pyramid scheme is no more than creative use and manipulation of human networks and taking advantage of the vast population. It does not deliver false promises as the ponzi scam, nor does one singular individual reap most of the benefits as with most pyramid schemes.
The fact though, that there will inevitably be a “loser”, one who cannot pass the message anymore, makes such activities borderline immoral and unethical.. I say “borderline” because I find it hard to even imagine that it will even come to this point.
I myself have never participated in such, mainly because I do not believe that it will work as effectively as it should/could.. Until public opinion of such endeavors improve, it never will.
I read the article by the FTC you provided Gariell. I do not believe that this PARTICULAR pyramid scheme, falls into those that the article describes as illegal. I view it merely a creative, desperate and very risky way of making money easy, fast, effortless.. which is not a good thing, yes.. but I don’t think it’s illegal.