One thing I've always hoped for is that any long-time listener to Skeptoid will have

an extra layer of defense against all the various consumer ripoffs out there, whether

they're pyramid schemes, fraudulent health products, or just plain scams.

Today, we've got a handy check-up for all of you who consider yourselves well-defendant

against such things. It's a Skeptoid Pop Quiz designed to test your knowledge of consumer

ripoffs. And it's coming right up, Un Skeptoid.

You're listening to Skeptoid. I'm Brian Dunning from Skeptoid.com. Pop Quiz consumer

ripoffs. Take your seats, class, because it's time for another Pop Quiz. If you think you've

done well enough on the previous quizzes, today is my chance to knock you down a peg. Today's

topic is consumer ripoffs, snake oil products and other scams that leave the scientifically

illiterate, vulnerable to being taken advantage of. So let's begin. If you want time to think

about each of these, just be ready to hit the pause button before I give the answer.

And feel free to take as much time as you need. And don't try to look for a pattern because

I used the random number generator on my Hewlett-Packard 15C, quite the classic, by the way, to place

each correct answer.

Number 1. Network Marketing. What were once called multi-level marketing programs, barely

legal variations on pyramid schemes such as AMOI, Urbalife and Doterra, have rebranded

themselves as network marketing in an effort to escape the stigma. Surveys of participants

have proven what the statistical models predict, which is that virtually no participants

ever, either successfully sign people up as distributors or successfully sell their products

to anyone else. What percentage of all MLM participants lose money, rounded to the nearest

percentage point? A. 50%. B. 98%. C. 100%.

...