There are countless pyramid schemes under the guise of noble organizations in America. While the true identity of many of these companies and communities are heavily debated, it’s undeniable that their methods of recruitment and retention of members is suspicious. Arguably, the most bizarre thing about these undercover schemes is their resemblance to known cults. By definition, a cult is “a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister” (Oxford Languages). There are several cults that are well-known by the public, two of the most notable being Heaven’s Gate and the Manson Family. Both of these communities reached fame soon after they were exposed for their gruesome practices involving drugs, abuse, murder, and suicide. When people hear the term “cult,” the first things they think of are the eerie stories of Heaven’s Gate and the Manson Family. While not with the same level of gore and shock-value, organizations that are classified under the same label as the previously mentioned, heavily capitalized, cults are closer than most think.

        A colorful flier of a Chinese dancer that hangs on a shop door, inviting you to an enlightening performance that captures “China before Communism.” A baby pink Cadillac with a cursive logo that cruises into your school parking lot. A group of older women bustling outside of the local Asian supermarket, trying to push a brochure into your hands while asking if you’re religious. None of this is new to me as a Northern Virginia resident, in fact, I’m confident that people throughout the country have experienced similar things. As a consumer of the internet and the economy, I’ve also grown accustomed to seeing advertisements that promote various wellness products; however, it’s not hard to tell that they’re predatory schemes, looking to recruit more and more members into their families of fraud. What’s surprising is not their suspicious methods of earning income, but their disturbing proximity to established cults. 

       “In these pyramid schemes, the more you build your customer base and the closer you get to the top of the company, you can’t get away. In cults, you can’t get away!” urges Amanda Blizzard, AP Human Geography teacher. “Similarly to multi-level marketing, cults urge you to buy more classes, more products, and become closer with ‘community’ to come as close as you can to the main objective that the cult preaches about– In multi-level marketing companies, their main objective is getting to the top of the pyramid.”

       In his book, Larson’s Book of Cults, Bob Larson provides some assistance in identifying cults. He writes about 20 warning signs in total, but here are some of the most easily recognizable:

1. Absolute loyalty. Allegiance to this organization is demanded and enforced by threats to one’s physical body or mind. It’s difficult to say no in the face of possible danger. 
2. Altered diet. Deprivation of one’s essential nutrients can make members more emotionally susceptible and disoriented.
3.  Conformity. The erosion of individuality helps members join a community more willingly. It also helps grow feelings of community and belonging.
4. Financial involvement. By investing all of one’s personal assets to an organization, it makes the chances of returning to their previous life and former vocations less likely and practically impossible (they have no choice but to continue with the path they have ‘chosen’).
5. Isolation from outside. Separation from one’s familiar network results in a diminished perception of reality. It can also help members form relationships within the cult, making it harder to exit and easier to fully assimilate.
6. Lack of privacy. Critical thinking that allows one to reflect on their choices and environment is close to impossible in a setting where cult members are left unattended. With someone knowing what you’re doing all hours of the day, it’s difficult to form thoughts and actions that would threaten the reputation of the cult.
7. Peer pressure. Exploitment of one’s longing for acceptance can make a cult seem desirable and alike to an affirming community.
8. Love bombing. Consistent, undivided attention and other expressions of affection can lead to a false sense of camaraderie.
9. Unquestioning submission. Acceptance and worship of a cult leader and their “authority” can prevent any ideas that challenge a cult’s ideas from forming.
10. Value rejection. The complete renouncement of one’s life and beliefs before entering a community helps with the complete integration of a member into a cult.

       Using these guidelines, one can evaluate whether any one of these multi-level marketing companies are cults in disguise; however, while many MLM’s may show signs of these characteristics, they might not be exactly the evil cults that Larson warns of.

       “Yes, companies like Mary Kay and Tupperware are ‘cult-ish’ in the sense that they recruit you and everyone you know, but technically their practices are perfectly legal,” Blizzard states. Many companies that are mistaken for cults practice direct-selling, which is door-to-door selling in no fixed location, a popular and ethical practice. Although these organizations are technically safe, it is important to stay aware of the dangers of becoming heavily involved in corporations that rely on recruitment and “spreading the news.” “In most cases of Mary Kay and Tupperware employees, they usually become weirdly adamant about getting their friends and family to join the company,” Blizzard asserts. “They definitely are cult-like in that employees maintain some degree of loyalty to the company, they’re financially involved, and they attempt to convince loved ones to join them, but these corporations aren’t harmful like MLM companies that adopt the structure of a pyramid scheme.”

        Despite the increasing difficulty of differentiating companies from cults, MLM schemes from legal practices, and danger from safety, hopefully people can learn how to protect themselves using guides such as Larson’s list. Some known MLM’s whose statuses as cults/schemes are heavily debated include: Amway, Beachbody, Primerica, LuLaRoe, Neora, Herbalife, Advocare, and Younique. Although some of these corporations are active, the safest choice is to avoid any interaction, especially if they reach out first. If you feel as if you yourself have accidentally become involved with an ill-natured organization that matches Larson’s description of a cult, make sure to get in contact with a trusted person to relay your concerns. While exiting a cult is a complicated process, it is possible with enough support.