I think almost everyone has fallen for a pyramid scheme at one time in their life.  Most people learn their lesson on the first time around that the real money isn't in selling the products.  In fact we learn that we are in fact making someone rich but it isn't us, and isn't likely to happen to the "downline" no mater how dedicated they are to the business.  After 5 or 10 years of working your tail off to make a few dollars we discover we are spending more on the business than we make.  Most people give up and never return to the pyramid business concepts.    Thinking perhaps it is just the wrong product and perhaps something else might work better Ol Doug Dundy fell for 3 pyramid schemes in a row before learning his lesson.  One day 2 of his upline decided to take him to an secluded hot tub and with a mixed drink in their hands they explained to him that the downline never does make it to the top by selling the products or by signing up literally 100's of people under them.  Sure they can make some money, just enough to keep them trying but the real money was in their secret investments the rest of the download had no knowledge about.  Taking advantage of the downline, the people they sign up was only part of the job.  Ol Doug finally learned that one must also sell their soul to the dark forces that exist in order to achieve that higher status that was promised to all the downline from the very start.  Everyone has the right to find the truth for themselves but Doug wasn't willing to sell his soul to get the rewards they had promised.  You might find Ol Doug mowing yards or doing odd jobs or almost anything these days but you won't find him working any more pyramid schemes.