e-Commerce Marketing Business - Is it a Scam?

Here is another multi level chain marketing scam, now it is called ‘e-commerce’ business.  Few days back I was introduced to a virtual e-commerce business model by one of my friends. This was really an interesting meeting and I want to share this with you.

So here is what actually happened – one of my friends called me over the weekend to meet as he was coming from Delhi. I thought lets meet this friend of mine as we haven’t seen each other for more than a year now. We decided to meet in CCD. When I reached there, my friend was already there waiting for me and there was another guy who was so called “his senior”. Conversation started by saying Hi-Hello and this “senior guy” asked me about my background like – my qualification, current and past jobs, my family background etc (like I had come for an interview!). Then some emotional tricks like do I trust my friend (who has called me to CCD)?

Actual pitch started by giving me some background about how rich people (like Robert Kiyosaki, Dhirubhai Ambani, Narayana Murthy etc) have made money. Their ability to take risks, thinking differently, believing in “why” and not “how” and showing all the negative things about an “Employee” and by showing how much money I’ll ever make in entire life by doing a 9-5 job!! I’m sure this guy had good presentation skills and whatever he said made sense!

Then he claimed that he’s looking for some business partners for a golden opportunity and I should be part of this without losing any further time. This opportunity will transform me from an Employee to a businessman and I’ll be making up-to 5 crores a year within a span of 3-4 years. Now he asked whether I am interested in this or not! Obviously! Who doesn’t want to earn crores!  Then he explained me the parameters to be eligible for this opportunity and asked me to join this e-commerce business by paying anything within 2-8 lacs. He insisted on paying this money immediately if not 2 then at least by paying 1 lac. Even these guys insisted that I can pay this amount by using my credit card and convert it to EMIs.

Wooh! How can I pay someone 1 lac rupees for an e-commerce business which I don’t know! And this smart guy didn’t even tell me how this system works saying employees asks “How” and businessmen ask “WHY” so come out of employee mentality! I was able to come out of this trap as I really didn’t have money at that point of time.

I have already been a victim of such scam in the past for a company called Quest Net which dealt with numismatic materials instead of ecommerce! What I concluded from my past experience is that – These guys will show you the dream of getting big money (as they have been shown by their seniors). Their seniors left there high paying jobs to get into this MLM business and they own BWM now. They are invited to Malaysia to capture the Malaysian market (sounds crazy!) and I know some of them are true. Beauty of this business is that, once you join this you are left with no other option but to praise this and convince others to join beneath you! :)

My advice to you would be to –

Join this business if you have no other ways of making money. You will be able to make money in this only if you are able to convince others to join this. If you join late and you are the bottom of the chain then you are the looser until you make a chain beneath you to come to the top!

This is not an ethical business model, as those who join in the end will always loose! Be it you or someone beneath you!