Is Infinity Downline a scam or legit?

[lorraineb]

MLM is MULTI LEVEL MARKETING for the 10th time, and "Pyramid Schemes" are usually referred to as MLMs. The thing is, 300 thousand + people are doing something right, why you're complaining and arguing so hard that it's a scam or yadayada. Let me get your opinion when i'm at a million before age 22. Sound better?

Oh, you really don't know the difference. You have it backwards. MLMs are often referred to as pyramid schemes, not the other way around. Pyramid schemes existed long before MLM companies ever did, and not MLMs are pyramid schemes (only those that don't sell products).

If you aren't selling a product and only collecting money by recruiting, then it's a pyramid scheme. It doesn't matter if you are making money or not, it doesn't change the fact that it's a pyramid scheme. That is, eventually there won't be enough people to support the bottom level of the pyramid and it will collapse.

I am not arguing that it is a scam. I'm merely stating fact. It doesn't matter if you become a millionaire or not, it's still a pyramid scheme and if you do earn that amount, you do so by milking others out of their money somewhere down the line.

[EmzieAtInfinity]

Oh, you really don't know the difference. You have it backwards. MLMs are often referred to as pyramid schemes, not the other way around. Pyramid schemes existed long before MLM companies ever did, and not MLMs are pyramid schemes (only those that don't sell products).

If you aren't selling a product and only collecting money by recruiting, then it's a pyramid scheme. It doesn't matter if you are making money or not, it doesn't change the fact that it's a pyramid scheme. That is, eventually there won't be enough people to support the bottom level of the pyramid and it will collapse.

I am not arguing that it is a scam. I'm merely stating fact. It doesn't matter if you become a millionaire or not, it's still a pyramid scheme and if you do earn that amount, you do so by milking others out of their money somewhere down the line.

I'm going dumb from arguing with you, you're either just really that stupid, or you're just mad that you're not in it, and you want to bash it. You still think Infinity Downline is a scam? Like I said, the company does not DIRECTLY sale a product, and neither do I, ALTHOUGH you DO get the products when you REGISTER under someone in the company. How hard is that to understand? I have said that at least 5 times, and you're wiring for your thinking cap must have a short in it because you can't think clearly and that is highly visible. You say "I am not a arguing that it is a scam" Then you turn around and say that I am milking other out of their money somewhere down the line. See, you totally forgot this is not a MLM or a Pyramid Scheme! There is no "somewhere down the line". It is 100% commission, ONE LEVEL. EVERYONE has to sign up for 4 people, which make them eligible to get sign ups. No one is going to collapse. "That is, eventually there won't be enough people to support the bottom level of the pyramid and it will collapse." Support the bottom level. There is no bottom level my friend, there is ONE level. Everyone has their own level, if you can sign up one person, you're breaking even, if you can sign up 3 people you're making profit, if you can sign up 4 people you're getting pass ups which result in a INCREASING residual income. You can't fail in this business (unless your mindset is so weak that you can't get 4 people signed up into your team). If everyone just brings in 4 people, everyone is successful. I really think you should actually go and read some about this company before continuing to argue about it. You clearly have no clue what this company is about or what it does.

Pyramid Scheme - A pyramid scheme is an unsustainable business model that involves promising participants payment or services, primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, rather than supplying any real investment.

So, a 5 year old company, the best compensation plan, 100% commission, 300 thousand + members, and the real investment is a residual income that you have the power of, and all of that is a "pyramid scheme". Huh?



Multi-level Marketing - Multi-level marketing (MLM) is a marketing strategy in which the sales force is compensated not only for sales they personally generate, but also for the sales of the other salespeople that they recruit. This recruited sales force is referred to as the participant's "downline", and can provide multiple levels of compensation.

Okay, so let's clear this one up. "Is compensated not only for they personally generate, but also for the sales of the salespeople that they recruit"

That does NOT happen in Infinity Downline, you have one level. I don't get paid for the people my downline signs up, unless it is their 2nd and 4th person they signed up, then they will pass that person to me, and from there on out, all of their sign ups go straight to them, and they receive their own pass ups from their members. No 2 members get paid for 1 member. It's 100% commission, only one member gets paid for one member.

[doingitallwrong]

The only people who don't think Infinity Downline is an MLM are the people hawking it. You keep saying you're at "ONE LEVEL" but calling something a "pass up" doesn't mean it didn't come from a different level.

The fact is, your income relies 100% on the ability of people to recruit others to the fold. You only get your money if the people you recruited (and their "pass ups") are paying their monthly membership fee. They only get their money if the people they recruited are paying their monthly fee. If the people 4 levels down aren't able to recruit anyone, they're soon going to stop paying their monthly fee (why pay $25 a month for nothing?). Once that happens, the people 3 levels down will stop getting income, and then will stop paying their monthly fee, which means the people 2 levels down will stop getting income, and so on. That's why it's a pyramid -- without the lower levels paying their dues, the upper levels eventually have little or no income. Since you aren't even selling a product, you have no chance to earn income except by convincing other people to pay $25 a month.

(Mary Kay, for example, is an MLM that is not a a pyramid scheme. Even if you never recruit a single person, you still can earn a significant income, because there's actual product to sell. You're not dependent on recruiting other people who must themselves recruit other people.)

No doubt I'll be told how stupid I am now. Of course the ad hominem attack is classic when one's position is indefensible.

[hamchan]

Ok, I did some looking around and it seems as though the only "product" you get access to with your membership is a bunch of "educational" audio and video files. About 95% of this education is on marketing and growing your downline. So while that just barely makes this thing legal, it is about as close to a pyramid scheme as you can get without breaking the law.

Emzie, I don't expect this advice to be taken well, but please go back to school and finish while you still can do so for free, assuming that you have not yet gotten a GED, that is. You can go to public school until you turn 21. As the Infinity Downline wesbite says "education is priceless" and you're missing out on one of the biggest opportunities you have by not finishing.

[btctony]

This might be the dumbest thread I have ever read anywhere ever.

Yeah these things are talked about everywhere all over the internet and no matter where you go, you don't see a frequent contributor on any forum saying "Oh my gosh, I'm so happy I found this new MLM/Pyramid. It has totally changed my life". So ... To whatever the dude's name is that is peddling this nonsense, why do you think that is? And why are you wasting your time trying to convince us? Do you know how many fools without many brain cells like yourself that I have seen defending the latest unethical scheme of the month? The number is probably higher than you can count.

I love how he keeps mentioning getting the "product" for free, but never mentions what it is. Not sure how it's free though. Aren't you paying $25 per month? If it was that great of a product or service, it wouldn't exist in this type of scheme. It would be sold to the masses! From what I understand, the product is basically a guideline on how to keep this scheme alive.

I'm guessing this guy isn't making much money doing what he is doing and will eventually give it up, but my hope would be that once that happens, he doesn't fall for the same type of thing again.

[EmzieAtInfinity]

The only people who don't think Infinity Downline is an MLM are the people hawking it. You keep saying you're at "ONE LEVEL" but calling something a "pass up" doesn't mean it didn't come from a different level.

The fact is, your income relies 100% on the ability of people to recruit others to the fold. You only get your money if the people you recruited (and their "pass ups") are paying their monthly membership fee. They only get their money if the people they recruited are paying their monthly fee. If the people 4 levels down aren't able to recruit anyone, they're soon going to stop paying their monthly fee (why pay $25 a month for nothing?). Once that happens, the people 3 levels down will stop getting income, and then will stop paying their monthly fee, which means the people 2 levels down will stop getting income, and so on. That's why it's a pyramid -- without the lower levels paying their dues, the upper levels eventually have little or no income. Since you aren't even selling a product, you have no chance to earn income except by convincing other people to pay $25 a month.

(Mary Kay, for example, is an MLM that is not a a pyramid scheme. Even if you never recruit a single person, you still can earn a significant income, because there's actual product to sell. You're not dependent on recruiting other people who must themselves recruit other people.)

No doubt I'll be told how stupid I am now. Of course the ad hominem attack is classic when one's position is indefensible.

Your income does rely on getting people to sign up. Also, you get your pass ups from your first level, so the pass ups come from your first level, and the people who are passed up, land in your first level. You said "If the people 4 levels down aren't able to recruit anyone, they're soon going to stop paying their monthly fee (why pay $25 a month for nothing?)." First, there isn't 4 levels down, example, if you sign up under me, you're going to get access to all of the training and educational video/audio software, plus you will instantly get access to the training website my team uses, which will teach you how to become successful in the business. No one cancels their subscription, because all you have to do is bring 4 in people, and your JOB in the company is to help ALL of your downline to get their 4 people, so they pass you people up, and they are making money themselves.

[EmzieAtInfinity]

Ok, I did some looking around and it seems as though the only "product" you get access to with your membership is a bunch of "educational" audio and video files. About 95% of this education is on marketing and growing your downline. So while that just barely makes this thing legal, it is about as close to a pyramid scheme as you can get without breaking the law.

Emzie, I don't expect this advice to be taken well, but please go back to school and finish while you still can do so for free, assuming that you have not yet gotten a GED, that is. You can go to public school until you turn 21. As the Infinity Downline wesbite says "education is priceless" and you're missing out on one of the biggest opportunities you have by not finishing.

Education is key, that's why I do something called "Self-teaching" myself. I do not need to go to a public school and learn Algebra, Science, History, and all of that stuff. I can sit on my computer and continue watching my Paypal balance increase, why I research and teach myself things I NEED to be successful in life, instead of listening to a teacher that doesn't even make 40 thousand a year. You tell me to go back to school and further my education, although what does a piece of paper saying that I graduated give me? The job economy is bad right now, a lot of people with higher education don't even have jobs at the moment. What would going back to school from 9th to 12th do for me? I will tell you exactly what it would do for me. One, it would slow down my focus on becoming successful. Two, it would require me to dedicate 8 hours a day, plus homework time, which would pull me away from my success. And third, it would brainwash me just like it's doing to every other student, simply because they don't teach you what you need in life, instead they teach you what their books tell you to learn. Does school teach you how to GET a job? How to KEEP a job? How to MAKE money? How to FILE your taxes? How to MANAGE your money? No, not unless you sign up for a business class, and that's one of the classes I aced, when I WAS in school. Keep doubting and bashing me, but don't get mad when I'm at a million before age 25.

[EmzieAtInfinity]

Yeah these things are talked about everywhere all over the internet and no matter where you go, you don't see a frequent contributor on any forum saying "Oh my gosh, I'm so happy I found this new MLM/Pyramid. It has totally changed my life". So ... To whatever the dude's name is that is peddling this nonsense, why do you think that is? And why are you wasting your time trying to convince us? Do you know how many fools without many brain cells like yourself that I have seen defending the latest unethical scheme of the month? The number is probably higher than you can count.

I love how he keeps mentioning getting the "product" for free, but never mentions what it is. Not sure how it's free though. Aren't you paying $25 per month? If it was that great of a product or service, it wouldn't exist in this type of scheme. It would be sold to the masses! From what I understand, the product is basically a guideline on how to keep this scheme alive.

I'm guessing this guy isn't making much money doing what he is doing and will eventually give it up, but my hope would be that once that happens, he doesn't fall for the same type of thing again.

I'm not here to try to get sign ups, I got plenty of those. I was simply arguing with someone from another thread about affiliate marketing, then a moderator must of turned it into this thread. Also, I could care less if I convince you all or not, I'm not trying to sign you all up, instead I am trying to inform you all that Infinity Downline is NOT a scam. Also "I have seen defending the latest unethical scheme of the month?" Infinity Downline has been around since 2009, since when it that a "unethical scheme of the month"?

Also, I do think I have mentioned what the product is, it's over a thousand dollars of software tutorials. I was going to take a screenshot of all of the products you get access to, but then I would have to take 50 pictures and link them all together, simply because that is how much stuff you get access to when you sign up.

"I'm guessing this guy isn't making much money doing what he is doing and will eventually give it up, but my hope would be that once that happens, he doesn't fall for the same type of thing again."

I'm actually making pretty good money, next time I make a trip to the bank I will be sure to withdrawal and take a picture, with my email on it. Also, I won't be giving this up, simply because 300 thousand + members and my residual income can't be wrong. I also won't fall for the same type of thing again, simply because I won't be quitting what I am doing right now.

If you don't got haters, you ain't doing something right.

[hamchan]

Good jobs aren't particularly hard to find if you have an education in an area with a good job market. I'm not even talking college necessarily. I went to trade school for one year. I get more job referrals and offers than I know what to do with, and past employers are begging me to come back. I work 30-35 hours a week doing something I love, and I make a very comfortable income. I've only been at it for a year now too. But pretty much any trade school or college is going to require a GED at minimum, and many want an actual high school diploma. If you miss out on that, then you are limiting your options in the future.

Companies like Infinity Downline have been around since before I was born. It does not operate any differently than any of the others that came before it. The only people who get rich are the ones who start the companies, and then once the downlines dry up, as they all eventually do, the owner starts a new one. The person who started Infinity Downline has had other MLM companies in the past. I know dozens and dozens of people who have gotten involved with MLMs. None of them have gotten rich, and it certainly wasn't for lack of effort. None of them even made enough to quit their day jobs. And many of them alienated their friends and family and lost relationships because they were constantly pushing their money making opportunity on everyone.

I have some questions for you that I have not seen answers to yet. How much are you bringing in per month from ID right now? How many hours per week do you put into it, including time spent on Skype calls, watching training videos, posting about it online, etc. Are you putting any of your own money into it besides the $25 a month membership fee? Are you being encouraged to at all by your uplines? Do you have another job besides this? Are you living on your own, paying all your own expenses?

Since you value learning things on your own (I certainly do as well) I strongly recommend you Google the e-book "Merchants of Deception" and read it. You can read it online for free. It is about a different MLM company, but I think it could be very eye opening for you, and will give you a lot of red flags to look out for.

The bottom line is, there may come a time in your life that you decide you want to do something else for a living, and it would be shortsighted for you to miss out on a lot of opportunities because you didn't finish high school. It's not that what you are taught in high school is particularly useful in the real world, though some of it certainly is. It's that a high school diploma is required for so many other things you may decide you want to do someday.

[doingitallwrong]

Your income does rely on getting people to sign up.

Exactly. No product, just recruiting more and more people.

Also, you get your pass ups from your first level, so the pass ups come from your first level, and the people who are passed up, land in your first level.

That doesn't make any sense. If they come from your first level and land on your first level, isn't that a pass sideways, rather than a pass up?

Your pass ups come from the recruits of the people you recruited. Right?

First, there isn't 4 levels down

Sure there is. Otherwise this would have failed a long time ago.

Someone recruited you. Let's just say they're the founder of the company, so they're level one. You're level two, but you're your own level one. (We can call it level zero if you prefer, so you're the founder's level one and your own level zero.) You recruit four people, they're on your level one (founder's level two). The founder gets the membership fees from two of those four people on his level two. Your four people recruit four people; that's your level two and the founder's level three. You get the membership fees from eight of those people on your level two. See how this is going? Multiple levels, bigger at the bottom than at the top? That's a pyramid.

Now, you may not get pass ups from anyone past your level two; you've said it both ways so I'm not sure which is accurate. If you do -- if those eight people who were passed up to you each have to pass up two of their recruits (your level three), I can't for the life of me imagine how anyone would think it wasn't a multi-level arrangement. If those eight people pass up to their recruiter, then it's still multi-level and still a pyramid, the payments just don't up go through all of the levels. The upper levels still depend on the lower levels. If your level three people can't get any recruits, they're going to cancel their membership. Not everyone has the skills to convince people to pay $25/month for the chance to convince people to pay $25/month. So now your level two people aren't making their money, and so they cancel their membership. Eight of those level two people were sending you $25 a month, so now you're out $400 a month. Plus the other eight aren't paying their recruiters, who are your level one, so they drop out, too, and now you have no income.

No one cancels their subscription

No one has ever cancelled their subscription? Never ever in the history of the company? I find that incredibly hard to believe (mostly because I've read discussions from people who have dropped out, so I know they're out there!).

There's no doubt you can make money if you're the kind of person who can sell people on the benefits of paying you $25 a month. I'm not sure why you need Infinity Downline to do it, just give them your PayPal address and make one YouTube video a month. The point its, it is MLM, it is a pyramid, and at some point it will collapse.

I also agree that you should complete your education. Even if ID lasts forever, being well-educated can only help you, as the more articulate you are the more seriously you'll be taken.

[lorraineb]

You seem unable to see that this is a pyramid scheme. I don't know if it is because you refuse to or you don't understand. maybe this will help.

You say there are 300,000 members. In order for those 300,000 members to make money, they need to recruit 4 members.

That means they need to find 1.2 million new people to join. Once they have, those 1.2 million people also need to find 4 new people to recruit in order to make money.

If they are successful, you now have 4.8 million new members who need to also find 4 new members to recruit, or they won't make money. This continues until it finally collapses.

Since every new member has to recruit more new members, it's a pyramid that will at some point fail, It may be tomorrow, it may be 10 years from now, but it has to fail at some point because the bigger it grows, the more people that need to be recruited to sustain it.

[EmzieAtInfinity]

You seem unable to see that this is a pyramid scheme. I don't know if it is because you refuse to or you don't understand. maybe this will help.

You say there are 300,000 members. In order for those 300,000 members to make money, they need to recruit 4 members.

That means they need to find 1.2 million new people to join. Once they have, those 1.2 million people also need to find 4 new people to recruit in order to make money.

If they are successful, you now have 4.8 million new members who need to also find 4 new members to recruit, or they won't make money. This continues until it finally collapses.

Since every new member has to recruit more new members, it's a pyramid that will at some point fail, It may be tomorrow, it may be 10 years from now, but it has to fail at some point because the bigger it grows, the more people that need to be recruited to sustain it.

The majority of those 300 thousand members are already making thousands a month, and the ones who are new and just joining, they're on the way there also. I'm done trying to explain this to everyone, you all can be blind sided and maybe that's why you all are on a "Saving Advice" website. I'll come back and post here next year when I am about to file my taxes, and i'll show you all my 2014 earnings. See you all in February.

[lorraineb]

Pyramid schemes make a lot of people money -- they also have a lot of people lose money. Just because you're earning money doesn't make it right. I think that's the difference here. The people on this forum care if something is taking advantage of others or not. No need for you to come back (although I doubt that you will in any case). I hope that you eventually learn something from this, and I agree with others that you would do yourself a favor to go back and finish school.

[igniterep]

It helps if there is a product to sell, but just because there isn't one doesn't mean it's a scam. Someone has to pay for the marketing materials.

[btctony]

It helps if there is a product to sell, but just because there isn't one doesn't mean it's a scam. Someone has to pay for the marketing materials.

It might make it look better on the surface, if there is a product to sell. But in reality, when there is a product to sell, it's usually a worthless product. Product or not, the promise that you'll make millions is based upon recruiting others to pay their membership fee every month and so on and on and on and on. Doesn't matter what the product is or if there is one or not.