How to tell someone I respect that it's a pyramid scheme...

[Aaron]

So the wifey and I did the taxes on monday on base. Every year the base uses volunteers to do the taxes of military and dependents, which is pretty cool since most of them work for H.R. Block or other accounting firms for their real jobs. Well, the guy who did ours is a retired master chief that the wifey used to work with and I did Navy League functions with. Very cool guy, smart, looked after his people, the works.

Thing is, he wanted to share this business opportunity with me. Said he just started. Handed me a CD, told me to listen to it and asked when a good time to call about it would be. Immediately, bells started going off. So I listen to the CD and (surprise!) it's a pyramid scheme.

So I do I tell him that without offending him or making him feel stupid? I'm not known for my discretion and tact.

[drice]

I think it depends on the relationship you have with this guy. If you're concerned that it may effect your future dealings with him (future taxes?), you may just want to politely decline to participate.

Or, you could tell him of your concerns and politely decline. If he respects your opinion, he may ask you more about why you think that, which may open the door for you both to have a useful conversation about it. Again, it all depends on the relationship you have with him.

[Aaron]

Well, maybe I should have elaborated, while it's no longer the case, his relationship with both the wifey and me has been one of senior to subordinate.

[Rich]

Politely tell him you don't feel comfortable with it, and decline.

If he asks why, then tell him it appears to you to be a pyramid scheme.

If you can find out a little about the people running the thing, such as past spankings by financial watchdogs, to bolster your argument, so much the better. However, if he continues with a hard sell, I would begin to question the friendship.

[princewally]

I've got a friend who fell for a pyramid scheme. It was legit, but still pyramid. He was(and is) a good friend, but it took him a year to realize I was right.

He was a bit upset when I turned him down and explained why. Politely decline and leave it at that.

[SeekHer]

Politely tell him you don't feel comfortable with it, and decline.

If he asks why, then tell him it appears to you to be a pyramid scheme.

If you can find out a little about the people running the thing, such as past spankings by financial watchdogs, to bolster your argument, so much the better. However, if he continues with a hard sell, I would begin to question the friendship.

+1 - 100%

[Aaron]

Sounds like a plan.

[workinwifdakids]

This woman at our old church wanted us to participate in a 'business opportunity.' She told us it was Quixtar, and she was very upset when I found out it was Amway. I told her our lives were very busy, and she pushed. I told her my wife's health kept us too busy, she pushed. When I told her we didn't have time, she pushed.

Finally, I said it was a terrible waste of time that would never make her a dime, and she quit talking to me. No loss, I'll say.

[Fivetoes]

Any business plan that relys on friends, family and co-workers to make money is likely a pyramid. There are some people I just hate to meet with as they are always trying to push me to join up while there is a chance or to buy something.

[308Mike]

Politely tell him you don't feel comfortable with it, and decline.

If he asks why, then tell him it appears to you to be a pyramid scheme.

If you can find out a little about the people running the thing, such as past spankings by financial watchdogs, to bolster your argument, so much the better. However, if he continues with a hard sell, I would begin to question the friendship.

Actually, this doesn't even sound like a friendship to me, he's a professional acquaintance, nothing more. With that in mind, depending on how much you feel like discussing it with him, you can go a couple of ways.

You can point out the error and/or problems of what he's involved in or considering - realizing most people get into these things out of ignorance and a certain amount of greed; they want to make a lot of money quickly and easily and see how he reacts.

Or

You can completely ignore the whole thing if he's not anything other than a professional acquaintance and you have nothing invested other than face time at tax time (regardless of how you feel about him when you discuss stuff in his office - you're in HIS setting then and the view is MUCH different than when YOU are the one giving advice).

It all boils down to just what kind of a relationship you have with the man. Do NOT view it for more than it is. People FREQUENTLY get into the trap of giving their contractors/accountants/mechanics/yard people/pool man/gardener/errand-boy MUCH more trust than they really should based upon the FALSE assumption the feelings of trust and honor are reciprocated.

Step back for a moment and take an OBJECTIVE view of your relationship with this guy. Sure, he knows a LOT about you and you OBVIOUSLY trust him with your information, but you know almost NOTHING about how he handles the rest of his life. How many marriages has he had? How did they turn out? Do you even know how many kids he has? How well do you REALLY know this guy?

Think about it, if he KNOWS this is a pyramid scheme and isn't letting on (or playing you for a fool), and is trying to recruit you under him so he can make money off ANY of your sales and build his own empire on the fruits of YOUR labors (which he dam well knows is how HE'S going to make money) - do you REALLY trust him and want him doing your taxes anymore?

Is he REALLY THAT stupid, or does he just think you're that gullible and naive?

THINK ABOUT IT

Only YOU can decide what's going on because we're not there nor can we participate in the discussions - but you REALLY need to think about it. Write it all down if you have to to keep it all straight because when people play you and you *might* believe them, it can get confusing.

Have you put a Fraud Watch on your credit (sorry, I trust VERY few people when it comes to my personal info and I tend to be quite paranoid)??