püramiidskeemi

Püramiidskeem is a fraudulent investment operation where participants are promised high returns that are not generated by any legitimate business activity. Instead, the returns are paid to earlier investors using the capital contributed by new investors. This structure creates a pyramid shape, with early investors at the top receiving payments from those below them.

The scheme typically involves recruiting new members as a primary source of income. Participants are often required to pay an upfront fee to join and are then encouraged to recruit others to join the scheme. A portion of the fees paid by new recruits is then passed up the pyramid to earlier participants. Legitimate businesses generate revenue through the sale of products or services, but in a püramiidskeem, there is usually no genuine product or service being offered, or the product is greatly overvalued and secondary to the recruitment aspect.

As new recruits dwindle, the scheme inevitably collapses. Those at the bottom of the pyramid, who have invested their money but are unable to recruit enough new members, lose their entire investment. The perpetrators at the top of the pyramid may make substantial profits before the scheme collapses, often disappearing before authorities can intervene. Püramiidskeems are illegal in most countries due to their inherently fraudulent nature and the high likelihood of financial loss for the vast majority of participants. They are distinct from multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes, which involve the sale of actual products or services, although some MLMs can operate close to the line and may be deemed illegal pyramids if recruitment is the primary focus.