Is it legal and does it works?

[Rod]

I was reading another message board (non-adult one...yes, Im addicted to message boards ) last night, and I read a message that made me septic about if its legal or not, and if it really works...

Here is the post:


How to Turn Six Dollars into $6,000 quick and easy:
: READING THIS COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE! IT DOES WORK!
: I found this on a bulletin board and decided to try it. A little
: while back, I was browsing through newsgroups, just like you are now,
: and came across an article similar to this that said you could make
: thousands of dollars within weeks with only an initial investment of
: $6.00! So I thought, "Yeah right, this must be a scam", but
: like most of us, I was curious, so I kept reading. Anyway, it said
: that you send $1.00 to each of the 6 names and address stated in the
: article. You then place your own name and address in the bottom of
: the list at #6, and post the article in at least 200 newsgroups.
: (There are thousands) No catch, that was it. So after thinking it
: over, and talking to a few people first, I thought about trying it. I
: figured: "what have I got to lose except 6 stamps and $6.00,
: right?" Then I invested the measly $6.00. Well GUESS WHAT!?...
: within 7 days, I started getting money in the mail! I was shocked! I
: figured it would end soon, but the money just kept coming in. In my
: first week, I made about $25.00. By the end of the second week I had
: made a total of over $1,000.00! In the third week I had over
: $10,000.00 and it's still growing. This is now my fourth week and I
: have made a total of just over $42,000.00 and it's still coming in
: rapidly. It's certainly worth $6.00, and 6 stamps, I have spent more
: than that on the lottery!! Let me tell you how this works and most
: importantly, WHY it works... Also, make sure you print a copy of this
: article NOW, so you can get the information off of it as you need it.
: I promise you that if you follow the directions exactly, that you
: will start making more money than you thought possible by doing
: something so easy!
: Suggestion: Read this entire message carefully! (print it out or
: download it.) Follow the simple directions and watch the money come
: in!
: It's easy. It's legal. And, your investment is only $6.00 (Plus
: postage)
: IMPORTANT: This is not a rip-off; it is not indecent; it is not
: illegal; and it is 99% no risk - it really works!
: If all of the following instructions are adhered to, you will receive
: extraordinary dividends.
: PLEASE NOTE:
: Please follow these directions EXACTLY, and $50,000 or more can be
: yours in 20 to 60 days. This program remains successful because of
: the honesty and integrity of the participants. Please continue its
: success by carefully adhering to the instructions.
: You will now become part of the Mail Order business. In this business
: your product is not solid and tangible, it's a service. You are in
: the business of developing Mailing Lists. Many large corporations are
: happy to pay big bucks for quality lists. However, the money made
: from the mailing lists is secondary to the income which is made from
: people like you and me asking to be included in that list.
: Here are the 4 easy steps to success:
: STEP 1: Get 6 separate pieces of paper and write the following on
: each piece of paper "PLEASE PUT ME ON YOUR MAILING LIST." Now
: get 6 US $1.00 bills and place ONE inside EACH of the 6 pieces of
: paper so the bill will not be seen through the envelope (to prevent
: thievery). Next, place one paper in each of the 6 envelopes and seal
: them. You should now have 6 sealed envelopes, each with a piece of
: paper stating the above phrase, your name and address, and a $1.00
: bill. What you are doing is creating a service. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY
: LEGAL! You are requesting a legitimate service and you are paying for
: it! Like most of us I was a little skeptical and a little worried
: about the legal aspects of it all. So I checked it out with the U.S.
: Post Office (1-800-725-2161) and they confirmed that it is indeed
: legal. Mail the 6 envelopes to the following addresses:
1- Wallden Enterprises Inc.
14329 - 68th Avenue, Surrey, B.C. V3W 2H5
Canada
2- Joseph Hammett
P.O Box 4802
South Lake Tahoe, California
96157 USA
3- Jack Geren
1395 Cunningham Rd SW apt 2104
Marietta, GA 30008
4- Lenny Sanchez
9146 W. Tuscola Rd.
Frankenmuth, MI 48734
USA
5- Wes Swilling
207 Cornerstone Court
Simpsonville, SC 29681
6- Ian HUbert
1596 polk st.
Napa, CA 94559
: STEP 2: Now take the #1 name off the list that you see above, move
: the other names up (6 becomes 5, 5 becomes 4, etc...) and add YOUR
: Name as number 6 on the list.
: STEP 3: Change anything you need to, but try to keep this article as
: close to original as possible. Now, post your amended article to at
: least 200 newsgroups. (I think there are close to 24,000 groups) All
: you need is 200, but remember, the more you post, the more money you
: make! You won't get very much unless you post like crazy.
: This is perfectly legal! If you have any doubts, refer to Title 18
: Sec. 1302 & 1341 of the Postal lottery laws.
: Keep a copy of these steps for yourself and, whenever you need money,
: you can use it again, and again.
: PLEASE REMEMBER that this program remains successful because of the
: honesty and integrity of the participants and by their carefully
: adhering to the directions. Look at it this way. If you are of
: integrity, the program will continue and the money that so many
: others have received will come your way.
: NOTE: You may want to retain every name and address sent to you,
: either on a computer or hard copy and keep the notes people send you.
: This VERIFIES that you are truly providing a service. (Also, it might
: be a good idea to wrap the $1 bill in dark paper to reduce the risk
: of mail theft.)
: So, as each post is downloaded and the directions carefully followed,
: six members will be reimbursed for their participation as a List
: Developer with one dollar each. Your name will move up the list
: geometrically so that when your name reaches the #1 position you will
: be receiving thousands of dollars in CASH!!! What an opportunity for
: only $6.00 ($1.00 for each of the first six people listed above) Send
: it now, add your own name to the list and you're in business!
: ---DIRECTIONS ----- FOR HOW TO POST TO NEWSGROUPS------------
: Step 1) You do not need to re-type this entire letter to do your own
: posting. Simply put your cursor at the beginning of this letter and
: drag your cursor to the bottom of this document, and select 'copy'
: from the edit menu. This will copy the entire letter into the
: computer's memory.
: Step 2) Open a blank 'notepad' file and place your cursor at the top
: of the blank page. From the 'edit' menu select 'paste'. This will
: paste a copy of the letter into notepad so that you can add your name
: to the list. Step 3) Save your new notepad file as a .txt file. If
: you want to do your postings in different settings, you'll always
: have this file to go back to.
: Step 4) Use Netscape or Internet explorer and try searching for
: various newsgroups (on-line forums, message boards, chat sites,
: discussions.)
: Step 5) Visit these message boards and post this article as a new
: message by highlighting the text of this letter and selecting paste
: from the edit menu. Fill in the Subject, this will be the header that
: everyone sees as they scroll through the list of postings in a
: particular group, click the post message button. You're done with
: your first one! Congratulations...THAT'S IT! All you have to do is
: jump to different newsgroups and post away, after you get the hang of
: it, it will take about 30 seconds for each newsgroup! **REMEMBER, THE
: MORE NEWSGROUPS YOU POST IN, THE MORE MONEY YOU WILL MAKE! BUT YOU
: HAVE TO POST A MINIMUM OF 200** That's it! You will begin receiving
: money from around the world within days! You may eventually want to
: rent a P.O.Box due to the large amount of mail you will receive. If
: you wish to stay anonymous, you can invent a name to use, as long as
: the postman will deliver it. **JUST MAKE SURE ALL THE ADDRESSES ARE
: CORRECT.**
r. Now,
: each of the 5 persons who just sent me $1.00 make the MINIMUM 200
: postings, each with my name at #5 and only 5 persons respond to each
: of the original 5, that is another $25.00 for me, now those 25 each
: make 200 MINIMUM posts with my name at #4 and only 5 replies each, I
: will bring in an additional $125.00! Now, those 125 persons turn
: around and post the MINIMUM 200 with my name at #3 and only receive 5
: replies each, I will make an additional $625.00! OK, now here is the
: fun part, each of those 625 persons post a MINIMUM 200 letters with
: my name at #2 and they each only receive 5 replies, that just made me
: $3,125.00!!! Those 3,125 persons will all deliver this message to 200
: newsgroups with my name at #1 and if still 5 persons per 200
: newsgroups react I will receive $15,625,00! With an original
: investment of only $6.00! AMAZING! When your name is no longer on the
: list, you just take the latest posting in the newsgroups, and send
: out another $6.00 to names on the list, putting your name at number 6
: again. And start posting again. The thing to remember is: do you
: realize that thousands of people all over the world are joining the
: internet and reading these articles everyday?, JUST LIKE YOU are
: now!! So, can you afford $6.00 and see if it really works?? I think
: so... People have said, "what if the plan is played out and no
: one sends you the money? So what! What are the chances of that
: happening when there are tons of new honest users and new honest
: people who are joining the internet and newsgroups everyday and are
: willing to give it a try? Estimates are at 20,000 to 50,000 new
: users, every day, with thousands of those joining the actual
: internet. Remember, play FAIRLY and HONESTLY and this will really
: work.
Enjoy the Money!

[Rod]

I mean, it seems to work, but its almost impossible to make cash from no where...

Anyone have answers?

Thanks,
Steve

[Amputate Your Head]

Okay kids... can YOU say P-Y-R-A-M-I-D S-C-H-E-M-E?

[Amputate Your Head]

One of the oldest fucking scams out there. Keep your $6 bucks and get some tasty beer with it.

[Rod]

Does pyramid schemes are legal and do they really work?

Sorry, but I never heard of those before...

[BabeHunter]

Originally posted by Amputate Your Head:
Okay kids... can YOU say P-Y-R-A-M-I-D S-C-H-E-M-E?

LOL
i thought that it's no longer exists

[quiet]

come on.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Amputate Your Head:
One of the oldest fucking scams out there. Keep your $6 bucks and get some tasty beer with it.

Why is it a scam?
Got more infos?



( I do not want to try it, Im only *questionned* about it )

[Amputate Your Head]

Dead giveaways that the "get-rich-quick" scheme you're thinking of sending away for is a total waste of your money...

If the advertisement starts out with a sob story about how broke the writer used to be... and then proceeds to tell you how many luxury cars he has NOW...

If the advertisement goes on and on for multiple pages but NEVER QUITE TELLS YOU WHAT IT'S SELLING...

If every paragraph contains a "tease" that makes you want to read the next paragraph, without ever fulfilling the promises in the previous paragraph...

If the advertisement says "anybody can do it" and/or "you don't have to lift a finger..."

If the advertisement offers "work at home" assignments such as "stuffing envelopes for pay", "reading books for pay", "assembling products for pay"...

If the advertisement tells you all the things the get-rich-quick scheme ISN'T...

If the writer says "I was skeptical about this at first myself..."

If the writer says that he doesn't mind sharing this incredible secret with you because there's more than enough money for EVERYBODY...

If you see the words "send (anything at all) to the first (so-many) people on the following list..."

If you see the words "This is not a pyramid scheme" or "This is not an illegal chain letter"...

KEEP YOUR MONEY! YOU'LL NEVER SEE SO MUCH AS A PENNY BACK!!!

[Rod]

ahah
ok...but do you know why exactly it doesnt work?


I know that it cannot work, or all the people would be doiing it and nobody would be working...I know it cannot be true.

But do you have any concrete reasons that makes it a scam?

[Amputate Your Head]

It's a fucking chain letter scam. It's not hard to figure out that the only guy making any money from it is the guy at the top.

Go here, read #3.
and here.

[Amputate Your Head]

And I promise you... if you actually decide to try it...?

#1. You will lose your $6 bucks.
#2. You will have your ass banned from every BBS you post it at.

It's not new. It's been around for a long damn while... and guess what? There's still not anyone stepping up to the plate saying they used to eat Top Ramen for breakfast but now drive a Diablo because of the wonderful things this chain letter did for them.

[Rod]

Now, that is a good point ...thanks!

[Sjayne]

Go to a search engine. Type in Albania and pryamid scheme. Report back.

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[Amputate Your Head]

Perfect SJayne.

Here's the skinny on pyramid schemes.

[This message has been edited by Amputate Your Head (edited 12-04-2001).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by Sjayne:
Go to a search engine. Type in Albania and pryamid scheme. Report back.

ok, will do..thanks

btw, as we are on the subject, do you guys know if any pay for nothing programs actually pays?

I have a non-porn site I started some times ago and I dunno if I should advertise any of these programs (like this one: http://www.paypile.com pays surfers to listen to mp3... )

Amp, thanks for your info

Thanks,
Steve

[eroswebmaster]

Hey Rod I will tell you how to be a rich man by teaching others how to make money.

Here's what you do.

Advertise this in your local newspaper:
Exciting work at home business opportunity. Send me $1.00 and a self addresses stamped envelope and I will teach you how to make $1,000.

When all those $1.00 bills arrive you send them a slip of paper that tells them to:

Advertise this in your local newspaper:
Exciting work at home business opportunity. Send me $1.00 and a self addresses stamped envelope and I will teach you how to make $1,000.


LOL Good luck
eros

[eRock]

Originally posted by eroswebmaster:
Hey Rod I will tell you how to be a rich man by teaching others how to make money.

Here's what you do.

Advertise this in your local newspaper:
Exciting work at home business opportunity. Send me $1.00 and a self addresses stamped envelope and I will teach you how to make $1,000.

When all those $1.00 bills arrive you send them a slip of paper that tells them to:

Advertise this in your local newspaper:
Exciting work at home business opportunity. Send me $1.00 and a self addresses stamped envelope and I will teach you how to make $1,000.


LOL Good luck
eros

LOL...I was just gonna put the same exact thing!

[CDSmith]

Heyyy, that's not bad!


Amp, I have only a few slight corrections... You said "say goodbye to your $6" -- I don't think it's the six dollars that is any concern to anyone, it's the time input required to spam all the newsgroups repeatedly.

Also, you said the only guy making money is the guy at the top... True, but that's the idea, to get to the #1 position and make the big bucks. But the guy's in positions 1 to 5 also make money. But the POST OFFICE makes the most money off of this, definitely, in all the stamps people use to mail six letters each.

This is very similar to the "Green" letter that has been going around the world since I can remember. Mr. Green was from B.C. Canada, and he asked you to put $5 into each of 4 envelopes, and request the 4 business reports, 1 from each person on the list. This one was done entirely by snail mail, and the photocopying and postage needed was insane.

This newer $6 dollar version is obviously an knockoff of the Green letter that is designed for the net. It's still no less a waste of time, and it's no less a scam for that reason and the fact that you tend to annoy thousands of people with it.

I suggest to Rod that you build sites instead, send your traffic to sponsors, and get money sent to you the mail in the form of real paycheques. There's nothing finer than that.
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[Rod]

I suggest to Rod that you build sites instead, send your traffic to sponsors, and get money sent to you the mail in the form of real paycheques. There's nothing finer than that.

I never wanted to spam that. I was only curious about if it works or not

[cscotb]

it's bullshit

[Star]

sounds too time consuming to me :P
I think I'd rather read a book

---------

Extreme Green Flow!

[TaDoW]

I don't think it's illegal ... as long as you tax it at an unearned income rate there's nothing wrong with it.

It's not a pyramid scheme because you're not recruiting people who are recruiting people who are recruiting people to sell some non-existent product.

I might even have to give it a shot :-) as it said .. what's $6.00 ? 'course the time it'll take to post to 200 newsgroups is a pain in the ass ... and ends up costing maybe a couple hundred bucks in hourly wages.

------------------
-TaDoW
I'm really not anyone important...

[Ludedude]

It worked for me...some farmer in Iowa sent me $2.6 million which I then parlayed into a small fortune using those schemes.

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[shunga]

Originally posted by TaDoW:
It's not a pyramid scheme because you're not recruiting people who are recruiting people who are recruiting people to sell some non-existent product.

Pyramid schemes have many forms, this is just one of them. The whole idea is based on greed and laziness.

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally posted by TaDoW:
I don't think it's illegal ...

It's called FRAUD. And yes, it's still illegal.

[RedShoe]

Originally posted by Amputate Your Head:
It's called FRAUD. And yes, it's still illegal
[/B]

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, back up!
Since when, is fraud illegal?



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BootyBone

Is a BoneProne Family Member

[Amputate Your Head]

Just last week... but I heard that any earnings from previous frauds I think you're allowed to keep. Just need to fill out a special affidavit on your fraudulent tax forms next year.

[RedShoe]

Several years ago, I got laid off, and started to collect unemployment. I hadn't actually received a check yet, when the Mrs. and I decided to take a trip to her hometown...on Maui.

So we were chillin' in Hawaii for about a month, and we had all our mail forwarded to us. I would get my Unemployment form asking me if I had been looking for work, I would put, "no" and then send it in for my check.

Sure enough after we got back, and still I had not received a check. They way I saw it was, they owed me about two months of overdue unemployment checks. So I called to complain.

"Mr. Shoe! How can you possibly think you can receive unemployment checks while on vacation in Hawaii!"

"uh, well, um... it's my money, and I want it!"

"Ok, we'll send out a form for you to sign if you want your money."

The form was a letter stating that if I accept the money, I also admit to trying to fraud the gov't and that legal action would then be set in motion.

Needless to say, I didn't sign the letter, I didn't accept the cash, and I just let it all just fade away. Luckily fx work pays well.

------------------
BootyBone

Is a BoneProne Family Member

[Rod]

Redshoe: nice story

[Black Night]

great...

[TaDoW]

Originally posted by Amputate Your Head:

It's called FRAUD. And yes, it's still illegal.

how is it fraud if you're not selling a product or lying? I mean .. sure the story may be far fetched, I'd bet you could dumb it down and just not promise any significant return ...

------------------
-TaDoW
I'm really not anyone important...

[This message has been edited by TaDoW (edited 12-04-2001).]

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally posted by TaDoW:
how is it fraud if you're not selling a product or lying?

The only way anybody can make money through a pyramid scheme or chain letter is if other people are defrauded into giving money upon a promise of getting something in return when it will be impossible for them to get anything at all in return.

That is to say, in plain English, these schemes always constitute fraud. They use deception to get money. That is why they are illegal. They are not illegal because they involve recruiting people to recruit other people to recruit other people. That is perfectly legal and is done to some degree in many legitimate businesses. They are not illegal because they involve giving money to people. It is perfectly legal to give money to people. They are illegal because they involve deceiving people in order to get money from them: that is the legal meaning of fraud.

[TaDoW]

right .. but if you don't deceive them .. it's not fraud =)

so that's why I threw that thing in about toning it down and not telling them they're going to make millions.

if I come up to you on the street and ask you for a dollar and tell you that in return I might give you a dollar back. that is not fraud.

it's not really a big deal, I'm too lazy to do it anyway...

------------------
-TaDoW
I'm really not anyone important...

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally posted by TaDoW:
right .. but if you don't deceive them .. it's not fraud =)

The whole thing is BASED on deception. It's very roots are fraudulent. How can you sit there and honestly say it's not fraud? No Judge in the world is going to buy some lame story about "I had a disclaimer in there saying they wouldn't make millions!" He'll be laughing you all the way to your new cellmate "Tyrone".

[Kimmykim]

Do a search on Ponzi scheme and you can see just how a good one worked.

[magnatique]

it's fraud rod.. illegal... plus, it never works..

it's illegal because no matter what...

you are promised a return for your cash, but no matter what happens, the last one will never get the money..

if say 1,000,000 people get their money, then WAY more don't get a dime...

pyramids only pay if you START them... that's a well known fact.

[Rod]

From what I read on this article:
http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~btcarrol...c/pyramid.html

it is legal if you write that a lot of people will lose cash, while others will gain a lot...

Am I right?

Damn, Im SO confused now

[Amputate Your Head]

If I stick a gun in your mouth while I fish out your wallet, but tell you that you're going to lose your money, does that make it legal?

[Rod]

Originally posted by Amputate Your Head:
If I stick a gun in your mouth while I fish out your wallet, but tell you that you're going to lose your money, does that make it legal?

yea...you are right...I understand it more now

Thanks for the infos guys

[TaDoW]

Does that work if I stick my cock in your mouth?

------------------
-TaDoW
I'm really not anyone important...

[magnatique]

tadow, only if you put a finger in your ass..

two holes being violated, one yours, one his, it cancels out.

[Rod]

Originally posted by magnatique:
tadow, only if you put a finger in your ass..

two holes being violated, one yours, one his, it cancels out.

What about if he cum in his face?
He have to piss in his pants?

[TaDoW]

So THAT'S what I've been doing wrong all this time!

thanks Rod, I'll make sure to adjust my technique and report back to you :-)


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-TaDoW
I'm really not anyone important...

[UnseenWorld]

Well, I guess if you have no skills or talents and you have a subhuman IQ, you've gotta try something. But as for the rest of us...

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