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Health Supplement Pyramid Schemes Replace ISIS As Most Dangerous Online Recruiter
3 min read
| Health and Wellbeing | Contact
A former executive salesman and “Black diamond earner” for the controversial workout supplement Isis-Genix, Michael Schnell spoke to the Betoota Advocate today about his time in the fast-lane of shady “health and wellbeing” pyramid schemes.
“Essentially it uses the same basic principles of recruiting followers into a cult, they target people who are down on their luck,”
Mr Schnell, who amassed a fortune in the health-supplement trade, says he got to the point where – despite being relatively fit and extremely wealthy – he couldn’t get out of bed, due to the guilt that was weighing him down after making a living exploiting his peers.
“The target demographic is people who are self-conscious about their weight and have poor self esteem. That, as well as the fact that they are unhappy with their career. Just unhappy people in general,”“The next step is to build a profile and give people the impression that you have a miracle cure for all their problems. Better health, wealth and happiness are all attainable once you begin using this product.” Explains Schnell, who was recruited into the Isis-Genix ranks by a family friend, only to discover his natural abilities as a salesman.
Rapidly climbing up the sinister ranks of the overnight supplement brand was a breeze for the 32-year-old, who had previously worked in media sales. However, the mental anguish he suffered as a result of months of guilt-riddled success was not as easy.
“Social media is imperative for this false presence of success and happiness. Photos from overseas conferences, lots of mentioning of the amount of income you have earned and how little you had to do to earn it.
“And hashtags… They make you hashtag everything… #greatness #serving #entrepreneur #growth #health #wealth #wellness #giving #changinglives #startyourlife”
Schnell has likened the indoctrination tactics of the Isis-Genix movement to that of the Islamic State or Nazi Germany. He says that people are promised a community and better life, but end up giving back more of themselves than they realise. Both financially and socially.
“Like with any cult, once somebody joins the hard part is done,”
Shnell says “Isis-Genix” is a pyramid scheme that forces people to continue paying up to $600 a month to whoever initially signed them up to the “program”. It is then up to the person to continue on selling the product in order to cover the cost, in a hope to make profit.
“…But that is only if they sign up enough people themselves – which they rarely do. All you need to do is keep reassuring them that they have made the best decision of their life and “like” everything they post on social media”
“I’m sure half the people reading this have received that Facebook inbox about an ‘exciting opportunity’ from someone that you haven’t spoken to in 5 years” laughs Schnell, who finished by posing the question:
“If this supplement sales system was the easiest way to earn a dollar… Then why are there people working in factories to package it?”
“Be wary!” he says.