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Imagine landing your dream job, only to realize it was an elaborate ruse to defraud you. It sounds like a nightmare, but it's happening. A lot. Posing as companies or independent contractors, fraudsters are offering job hunters remote work—then pulling the rug out from under them. Instead of lucrative companies, these cybercriminals are running work-from-home scams that'll steal your personal information or convince you to pay a small amount up front for something. Talk about kicking someone when they're down. The popularity of work-from-home jobs, coupled with the increased number of people looking for extra income in a challenging economy, has created a perfect storm, of sorts. In fact, the Better Business Bureau reports that an estimated 14 million job seekers are confronted with job scams annually, resulting in more than $2 billion in direct losses. "Like other types of scams, these fraudulent jobs are a scheme to take your identity, bank information or money,&

Eric Kripke's The Boys – with its pernicious heroes against an ironic backdrop of politics and pop culture – is proving to be one of the most seminal superhero shows with its fourth and latest season leaving viewers thoroughly nonplussed. From the horrifyingly gory Homelander scenes to the immaculately executed dark humor, the series is perhaps the most hailed black comedy today. Advertisement The Boys | Prime Video Hats off to The Boys ' marketing team, though, for its brand-new pyramid scheme that doubles as a spectacular punchline that fans of the show almost instantly spotted. The Boys ' Genius Pyramid Scheme is Jam-Packed With Satire If you're an avid fan of the superhero show, you'd know all the inside jokes and juicy tidbits related to the characters, like Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie) and her perennial stress-induced hair-pulling. A Vought publicist-turned-CEO, Ashley – like any other Vought employee – is inherently antagonistic and believe

The Italian Antitrust has imposed a fine of 960 thousand euros on the US giant NewAge Inc. and its subsidiary Ariix Italy Srl, jointly and severally, for unfair commercial practices,  marketing  occult and pyramid selling. (1) 'Slimming' food supplements, cosmetics,  personal care  e  homecare . From the ' Body purification pack ' from 500 euros up to the air purifier for 2.500, the big package is served. With lots of  Social marketing  on Instagram. 1) NewAge,  health and wellness  in poor health New Age Inc.  (Nasdaq: NBEV) is a US giant in the sector  health and wellness , with distribution  omni-channel  based on  E-commerce  and direct sales through a network of over 400 thousand ' independent representatives ' in over 75 countries. In 2020, it acquired five companies: ARIX , founded in the USA in 2011, distributes f

More than 400 new multi-level-marketing pyramid schemes were launched in India in 2023, the highest in five years, according to Strategy India, a policy, compliance and direct-selling consultancy that's an associate member of the Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA). Among the names on its scam alert list are entities such as Mission Green India, Jivan Daan, Dhan Vriddhi and Capcha Pay. Over 4,000 such schemes are said to be on currently, according to Strategy India. Tracking down the entities listed was difficult as they don't appear to have functional websites or contact addresses where they can be reached. Operators of such schemes, based on money-circulation networks, pay existing investors with funds collected from new ones instead of doing so from profits. Many remain unchecked by taking advantage of loopholes in existing consumer protection laws. Such entities lure investors by offering unusually high rates of return within short time spans, seeking to recruit from l

Hyderabad: The Financial Frauds Victims Welfare Association (FFVWA) on Sunday urged the governments and private organisations to stop the supply chain of QNet. Speaking to the media, association head Phanindra said "Governments have to take a strong stand against the illegal pyramid and ponzi schemes." He recalled how on March 8, a multi-level marketing agent from Rangareddy district had killed his three children and then himself as he could not tolerate the pressure of people, whom he had forced to deposit money in their schemes. Gurupreet, a member of the association, said "QNet's parent organisation, Vihaan Direct Selling (India) pvt. ltd., has been involved in several anti-national activities like money laundering and running illegal ponzi schemes under several names from 1998 onwards apart from funding terrorist activities in the country." He added, "They had ties with several courier services, but after the registrar of companies issued a notice to t

Nearly 1,000 Louisiana retirees who fell victim to the second-largest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history have waited more than a decade for their day in court. They are among thousands of people across the globe who lost their savings and pensions after investing in fraudulent Stanford Trust retirement accounts at the turn of the century. Some plaintiffs have died, and most who have survived the yearslong legal battle are well into their 80s. But for after 15 years, a long-awaited trial in the multibillion-dollar global Ponzi scheme is poised to get underway next month inside the 19th Judicial District Courthouse in Baton Rouge. At least $400 million in total losses will be at stake when the two

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Why Americans keep getting roped into multilevel marketing schemes    Fast Company

A federal judge ordered a Minooka businessman to pay about $68.7 million to almost 380 payees as part of his restitution in a case where he was found guilty of committing wire fraud. In an amended judgment on Jan. 31, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly set the restitution amount of $68.7 million for Ken Courtright as part of his sentence. Courtright was found guilty last year of committing wire fraud through his company, Today's Growth Consultant. Prosecutors said Courtright was operating a Ponzi scheme. Courtright's company, which does business as The Income Store, was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 2019. The lawsuit led to legal troubles for Messiah Lutheran Church, Joliet Catholic Academy and other organizations that had to pay money back received from the company. An attorney had been appointed as a receiver for the company to claw back money for investors. Courtright has until 2 p.m. on March 14 to report to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to serve out