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Accurate information about multilevel marketing is not easy to get. Few publishers, editors, and broadcasters are willing to examine this topic in depth. Most reports reaching the public express what the companies and individual distributors would like people to believe. Nearly all MLM companies selling health-related products exaggerate their value, and the vast majority of people who become distributors do not make significant income.

About MLM Watch

• Mission Statement (updated 1/25/08)
• About Dr. Barrett (updated 1/21/08)
• Frequently Asked Questions (updated 7/1/06)
• Legal Advisory Board (10 members, updated 7/27/05)
• How to Contact Us
• Publications for Sale (link to Quackwatch)

General Articles

• The Multilevel Mirage (updated 1/21/08) FEATURE
• NCAHF Position Paper on Multilevel Marketing of Health Products (posted 1/22/03)
• The FTC's Consumer Alert Is Not Strong Enough (posted 1/25/08)
• The Origin of Multilevel Marketing (posted 9/5/99)
• Appropriate Use of Dietary Supplements (link to Quackwatch)
• Sale of Non-Health-Related Goods from Physicians' Offices (posted 7/14/99)
• MLM Glossary (posted 8/8/02)

Dishonest Promotion

• Both Buyers and Sellers Should Be Wary of Multilevel Marketing (posted 7/2/06)
• Typical MLM Misrepresentations (revised 1/25/08) FEATURE
• Four Lies of MLM (posted 5/28/02)
• Ten Big Lies of Multilevel Marketing (posted 8/6/02) FEATURE
• How to Identify a Product-Based Pyramid Scheme ("Recruiting MLM") (posted 2/10/03)

Investigative Reports

• 2Xtreme: Better Business Bureau Warning (posted 7/1/99)
• Cell Tech (link to Quackwatch)
• Coral Calcium and Robert Barefoot (link to Quackwatch)
• Don Lapre, Doug Grant, and "The Greatest Vitamin in the World" (link to Quackwatch)
• Energetix Magnetic Jewelry: Can It Help Your Health? (posted 7/1/06)
• Eniva's "PDR" Hype Debunked (updated 3/7/08)
• Herbalife International (updated 4/12/02)
• Ideal Health's Privatest (link to quackwatch)
• Mannatech (updated 8/21/08)
• National Safety Associates (Juice Plus+) (updated 1/29/06)
  • Questionable Research by the Juice Plus Children's Research Foundation (posted 4/3/04)
• NuGenix (link to Quackwatch)
• Rexall Showcase International (updated 4/02/01)
• Seasilver (link to Quackwatch)
• Starlight International (link to another site)
• StemTech's Dubious Claims (posted 11/18/05)
• United Sciences of America (revised 9/19/99)
• Young Living (link to Quackwatch)

Victim Reports

• Becoming Wealthy with MLM: A Myth (posted 7/3/06)
• Ripped off by Herbalife (posted 2/14/04)
• Unethical Selling by a Doctor (posted 10/18/99)
• Complaints to FTC about Herbalife (link to FTC report)
• Complaints to FTC about Quixtar (link to FTC report)

Legal Issues

• Amerisciences Sued for Refunds (revised 1/14/08)
• Cell Tech Loses False Advertising Suit (posted 7/25/03)
• Class Action Suits: Plaintiffs Wanted! (posted 9/19/99)
• Comments Needed on the FTC's Proposed Business Opportunity Rule (posted 6/29/06) FEATURE
• Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: Relevant Portions (to be posted)
• FTC Guide to Dietary Supplement Advertising Claims (posted 5/27/99)
• FTC Petition to Require Full Financial Disclosure [HTML] [PDF] (posted 8/6/02) FEATURE
• Herbalife Lawsuits (link to archive of another site)
• Omnitrition/Pyramid Scheme Case (link to another site)
• Quixtar Sued for Alleged Fraud and Racketeering (posted 2/15/07)
• Rexall Sued for Cellasene Fraud (posted 4/2/01)

Government Enforcement Actions

• 4Life Research (link to FDA warning letter)
• Advantage Neutraceuticals (FDA warning letter)
• Alliance USA (The Chemins Co.) (posted 10/15/02)
• Alpine Industries Ordered to Stop Unsubstantiated Claims for Ozone Generators (updated 5/27/01)
• American Image Marketing (1988)
• Amway Corporation (1979 and 1986) (links to FTC reports)
• Bodywise International (1995) and 2005
• Cell Tech International (link to 2002 FDA courtesy letter)
• Dynamic Essentials (link to FDA news release)
• E Excel (link to 2000 FDA warning letter)
• E'OLA International (link to FDA report)
• Equinox International (posted 8/11/99)
• ForMor International (posted 6/17/01)
• FutureNet (link to FTC report)
• Gano Excel (link to FDA warning letter)
• Herbalife International (posted 11/12/99)
• Infinity2 (link to FTC report)
• Kaire International (link to Quackwatch)
• K.C. Laboratories (Blue-Green Manna, 1986) (posted 2/6/02)
• Legacy for Life (link to FDA warning letter)
• Mannatech (posted 10/18/00)
• Market America (link to Casewatch)
• MonaVie (link to 2007 FDA warning letter)
• Morinda (Tahitian Noni) (link to Quackwatch)
• Nanci Corporation (link to FTC report)
• Neways International (posted 8/5/04)
• Nu Skin (1993 and 1997) (links to FTC reports)
• Nature's Sunshine (link to 2001 FDA warning letter)
• New Vision International (1998) (posted 3/15/99)
• Oasis Wellness Network (updated 7/1/01)
• Oxyfresh Worldwide (2000) (posted 9/5/00)
• Quest IV Health Products (1999) (updated 6/20/01)
• Reliv International (1998)
  • FDA warning letter (1998)
  • FDA warning letter (2001)
• Seasilver USA (link to 2002 FDA warning letter)
• Streamline International
  • Link to FTC complaint
  • Settlement with Robert Waitkus
• Sunrider Corporation (1998) (posted 7/21/99)
• Trek Alliance (2003) (link to FTC report)
• TrendMark International (1998) (link to FTC report)
• Trek Alliance (2002) (link to FTC report)
• Unither Pharma (HeartBar) (link to FTC report)
• Venegas, Inc., (1997) (link to FTC report)

Links to MLM Industry Web Sites

• MLM Company Headquarters Sites (updated 6/17/01)
• MLM Suppliers (updated 11/4/03)
• Publicly Held MLM Companies (updated 12/3199)

Sites operated by MLM critics

• Amway: The Untold Story
• Amway/Quixtar/Alticor Business Analysis
• AMwayQUIXtar.info
• An Insider's Perspective
• Dean & Laura Van Druff
• False Profits
• Merchants of Deception (free book about alleged Amway/Quixtar fraud)
• MLM Survivors Homepage
• MLM-the truth: (investigations by Jon M. Taylor, Ph.D.
• MLM Watchdog
• Quackwatch
• Ross Institute: Information about Amway, Herbalife, and Trek Alliance
• MLM Suppliers (updated 11/4/03)

Warnings About Pyramid Schemes, Chain Letters, and Other Questionable Plans

• Acid Test: "Make money online" scams and hoaxes
• Donald Watrous's Chain Letters Page
• Federal Trade Commission (brief report)
• Federal Trade Commission (detailed report)
• Global Prosperity Scam
• Industry Canada - Competition Bureau
• Matrix Watch
• Mediamoogle.com: Discusses Pre-Paid Legal
• Pyramid Scheme Alert
• U.S. Postal Inspection Service

Ring Membership

• Anti-Quackery Ring (health-related frauds, myths, fads, and fallacies)
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• Skeptic Ring (health-related frauds, myths, fads, and fallacies)
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