I've binned great swags of your juvenile raving where you just flaunt
your utter ignorance of the law. Unfortunately for you, you wont be
able to plead ignorance when the large footed fellows come calling.

RB> it's illegal "pyramid-selling" because the majority of
people who call
RB> the number will only lose the cost of the call and get nothing for it!

RS> Thats NOT the criterion that makes the illegal pyramid marketing
RS> schemes illegal. They are illegal if even if they do return some money
RS> to the people involved in the pyramid. And pyramid schemes normally do,
RS> particularly to the people who get in early. They are illegal anyway.

RB> What you have missed is the point that if it is *actually* a scam...
RB> then that is what will happen!

Thats not necessarily true. The classic Ponzi scheme DOES produces some
visible returns to early participants, and they do that for a reason,
to suck the suckers in, to give more time to pump pockets. The initial
visible returns are used to keep them believing its not a scam until
its too late and they find out they have been comprehensively shafted.

Which is why they too are illegal in most decent jurisdictions.

RB> If it is a legitimate company, then they won't just be throwing
RB> away their money without knowing if they'll ever get anything for it!

And a Ponzi scheme makes it appear that they are getting something for
it. Unfortunately for the suckers getting their pockets pumped, its an
illusion. Which they discover after their pockets have been pumped.

Barnum was right, there is atleast one sucker like you born every minute.

RB> A legit company is built around a product &/or service.

Pity EWI hasnt GOT a product &/or service, just a sophisticated scam which
makes it very difficult for those getting their pockets pumped to check up
on whats happening to their money, because its purportedly being spent in
the US. So they get to pump lots of pockets and bugger off to the Bahamas
where no one can touch them before too many find out that its a scam Dick.

RB> The simple test works like this:

This is a pathetically useless test to identify scams Dick.

RB> would you *buy* the product/service offered by the company
RB> even if you weren't in the commission-plan or if it didn't
RB> have one!? If yes.. then it's probably not a scam.

Pity that EWI fails that test Dick. Its a scam anyway.

And that test doesnt even work with Amway, its perfectly legal, just lousy
value. It isnt a scam if you can do better elsewhere, just lousy value.

RB> If you definately wouldn't buy the product/service  (perhaps there
RB> isn't one! as is the case in many scams!), then it probably is..

Or its a more sophisticated scam and still a scam. If someone offered
you 15% per month interest on what you deposit, and paid that for some
months, it would pass your test, and would be a scam anyway Dick. It
is an absolutely classic Ponzi scheme where they fund that 30% interest
a month out of the new investors deposits, they cant possibly do that
for long, the whole thing implodes in no time. Illegal too.

RB> or could be considered a scam. You decide!  would
RB> you call a mysterious phone-number which cost $1
RB> or more if you knew you'd get nothing out of it?

I never said that one wasnt a scam Dick, was just wondering if
Carl was benefiting financially from that scam or if he had been
scammed himself. I pointed out initially that it was calling the
Seychelles. What else could it actually be BUT a scam Dick ?

--- PQWK202