what get rich quick scheme have you been victim of?

[97guns]

im sure we probably all have been suckered into something or another. my most recent is from a "friend" whom i hadn't seen in 20 years calls me out of the blue to tell me he has a once in a liftetime opportunity with this company called ACN and that he has been raking in $5K a month blah blah blah. well i fell for it, threw down $500 on my credit card to give me the rights to sell the product, went to a few meetings and waved goodbye to the $500 down the toilet.

another time was when i first got out of high school i had an idea for an invention and went to one of those invesntion companies you see in the magazines, my mom ended up giving them $3500 and we didn't get squat out of it.

the old saying if it looks too good to be true coudn't be truer, just wondering what scams you have been reeled in on, maybe we can all avoid them.

[Mr Nice Guy]

I've almost been "AmWay'ed" a couple times

[Nightfly]

Ha! "Nice Guy" beat me to it! I almost got sucked into an Amway brainwashing session (that's the best way to describe it) also.

Speaking of Amway...
A few years back, I read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" (for free, from a library). Robert Kyosaki is one fraudulant SOB. About halfway into his work of fiction (that's what it is, folks) I started wondering about the guy. Did a little online research.

I've steered clear of anything even remotely smelling of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" programs ever since.

[kork13]

I've thankfully steered clear of them, though I once had a very close friend of mine fall headfirst into one... Typical pyramid scheme (no idea what it was, I've totally forgotten it), but my friend called me up one night and pitched it to me for almost an hour. About 15 minutes into the call, I realized what it was, and from there started trying to convince him of what it was....all the while he tried convincing me it was legit and a "great business opportunity." In the end, I basically told him "no way, no how" and implored him to back out of it himself. No idea how it ended up for him -- I made a point never to ask or mention it.

[disneysteve]

I can't think of any get rich quick scheme that I fell for. That's not to say I haven't made mistakes over the years of course. As a collectible dealer, I did occasionally get into some merchandise that turned out not to be worth as much as I thought and I ended up stuck with stuff.

I also bought a whole life insurance policy right after we got married. The salesperson snowed me on that one back when we didn't know any better. I didn't later cancel it when I figured out what a rip off it was. Fortunately, that turned out well as the company was later sued in a class action suit for misrepresenting their policies. We got a settlement equal to all we had paid in so we got all of our money back.

That's all that comes to mind at the moment.

[gambler2075]

Probably the biggest GRQS is the stock market, at least for new traders... the first 5 years my portfolio was mortally wounded and bleeding badly, and only repeated transfusions of cash kept it alive. I was tempted to call palliative care but stuck with it and left the ICU 5 years later. But there were times when the doctors told me that trying to keep him (Mr. Edward Trade) alive was an exercise in futility.

g

[bjl584]

A few years back some lady chatted me up at Barnes and Noble about selling some sort of merchandise online. It was like Amway or something. I agreed to meet her and listen to her talk up her program. It never went further than that though. It was like $250 to get started. No thanks. And the best part, I asked her how she was doing with it. She replied, "I'm doing great! The money is really starting to roll in for me." She then got in her car. A 10 year old Toyota with duct tape holding on the driver side mirror. It really looked like the money was rolling in. I will pass.

[disneysteve]

A 10 year old Toyota with duct tape holding on the driver side mirror. It really looked like the money was rolling in.

I wouldn't judge someone's financial or business success by what they drive. I'm doing pretty well for myself and drive a 15-year-old Toyota with rust and assorted dings.

Obviously, I wouldn't have spent $250 for that fine business opportunity either so I'm with you on that.

[bjl584]

I wouldn't judge someone's financial or business success by what they drive. I'm doing pretty well for myself and drive a 15-year-old Toyota with rust and assorted dings.

Obviously, I wouldn't have spent $250 for that fine business opportunity either so I'm with you on that.

I understand driving an older car. But duct taping the mirror? Is that even legal? If the "money was rolling in", then she should have been able to put down the hundred bucks or so for a mirror. Just sayin...

[disneysteve]

I understand driving an older car. But duct taping the mirror? Is that even legal?

That's a bit much. I at least keep my old car in good repair even if it isn't the prettiest car on the block.

[bjl584]

That's a bit much. I at least keep my old car in good repair even if it isn't the prettiest car on the block.

My last car was getting up there in miles and years, but like you I maintained it. It was always washed and looking as best it could for its age.

[KTP]

I tried options as a get rich quick scheme, and it didn't work...although I didn't lose money either...it was more of a get even slow scheme.

I am in the middle of another get rich quick scheme using Nokia stock...we shall see how that one goes.

[Mr Nice Guy]

Ask all the "independent salespeople" of the various pyramid schemes to show you a paycheck stub or 1099. Guarantee the excuses come pouring out.

Would love to see Amway's annual financial statements, particularly the cash flow statement; how much money do they make selling their products, versus how much do they make getting people to put down that initial investment to become a representative. Lol no wonder it's not available on the internet.

[gogirlanime]

my co-worker recently tried to sign me up under a co-name of Amway's called "World Wide Organization" which is basically Amway's online program. His girlfriend said that he made a "rookie mistake" by giving me his website when he wasn't supposed to, as soon as I saw "Amway" on the corner of the website I said "heck no" to myself. Geeeeee, I wonder why revealing the true company name is a "mistake" maybe because of their horrible reputation?

[ecoadapt]

the old saying if it looks too good to be true couldn't be truer

To those who have been a victim on those scams, this saying should always be put to mind!