Consumer Information & Resources

Fraudulent Schemes

Unfortunately, some unscrupulous people try to use the direct selling method as a way to engage in unethical, and even illegal, activity.
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Pyramid Schemes

The ever-growing popularity of direct selling often motivates dishonest individuals and companies to misrepresent themselves as legitimate direct selling businesses in hopes of enticing victims.
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NCL/DSEF Pyramid Scheme Brochure

The National Consumers League and the Direct Selling Education Foundation partnered in 2007 to develop a brochure with information on how consumers can protect themselves against pyramid schemes.
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Ponzi Schemes

A Ponzi scheme, named after an Italian immigrant, Charles Ponzi, who became notorious for using the scheme to defraud thousands in the early 1900s, usually offers abnormally high short-term returns in order to entice new investors.
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The DSA Code of Ethics

The cornerstone of the Direct Selling Association’s (DSA) commitment to ethical business practices and consumer service is its Code of Ethics.
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Supportive Government / Non-Profit Organizations

Information about the Better Business Bureaus, the Direct Selling Association, the Direct Selling Education Foundation, the Federal Trade Commission, the National Consumers League, and the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations
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