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Court documents from pyramid scheme - Source: ONE News -
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An alleged pyramid scheme about to hit New Zealand has been temporarily derailed by an Australian court.
TVI Express promises, for a sign up fee of $US275, easy money and exotic travel, and all you have to supposedly do is recruit others.
Concerned that 5,000 people had signed up, Australia's Commerce Commission produced evidence at a Federal Court that TVI Express was a pyramid scheme and its promises of reward travel never happened.
The court has temporarily forbidden three key players from promoting the scheme in Australia as well as overseas.
But reports that the TVI Express scheme is already targeting people in New Zealand, with plans for seminars in Mangere, Rotorua, Whakatane, has Auckland community groups worried.
"Families are telling us is they are having to look outside their sphere to find more money - sadly they get sucked up into these deals. Vulnerable families are the ones who are most targeted," says Darryl Evans, Mangere Budgeting Service.
However, New Zealand's Commerce Commission alerted community groups soon after hearing from Australia.
New Zealand's Commerce Commission warns to avoid all pyramid schemes.
"The crux is generally the people who establish these schemes and promote these schemes may make money but everyone else coming through won't," says Kate Morrison from New Zealand Commerce Commission.
