Vol. 569 No. 5
63 Dr. Upton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will examine a new multi-level marketing scheme (details supplied) to determine if it complies with the terms of the Pyramid Selling Act 1980; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18202/03]
The Pyramid Selling Act 1980 was introduced to deal with pyramid or multilevel selling as it is sometimes called. The Act defines in some detail what is called a scheme. The Act makes it an offence for a promoter or a participant in a scheme to induce or attempt to induce people to join a scheme. It is also an offence for a promoter or participant in a scheme to receive payment from participants by holding out that those participants will receive payments or benefits from introducing other persons into the scheme. Participants in these schemes have a right to have the amount paid by them for goods or an article returned to them in certain cases.
If the Deputy feels that the scheme mentioned in her question might fall under the definition of a scheme in the Pyramid Selling Act 1980 she should contact the enforcement body for the Act, which is the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation. As always I would urge people to be vigilant in how they use their money. If a scheme sounds too good to be true it is probably just that – too good to be true.
