Multi-level marketing is a "reverse pyramid scheme," and is LEGAL (as far as I know). There is a pyramid of distributors, with each distributor taking a cut of the profits. Unlike an illegal pyramid scheme, though, there IS a profit; no one "loses," but only the people on top make a lot of money. The distributors on the bottom make a little money. Actually, any business with a lot of middlemen is essentially MLM, and, although legal, is stupid business... each intermediary adds cost, but no value, to the transaction. Anyone with any brains tries to CUT the number of intermediaries, not increase them. I think Amway is an MLM system; some people tried to recruit me as an Amway distributor several years ago. I realized it was impossible to be competitive with their system. Nonetheless, Amway sells some very reputable products... but I suspect you can get them for a lot less elsewhere. -Bill