Report · Culture

Most Americans see multi-level marketing as misleading or a scam

Reading

About six-in-ten Americans (62%) say multi-level marketing is either misleading about its earnings potential or an outright scam, including 28% who call it a scam or pyramid scheme designed to exploit participants, according to an April 2025 Verasight survey.

The remainder splits between ambivalence and approval: 18% think the model has both benefits and risks depending on the situation, 12% call it a fair and legitimate way to earn money, and 7% see it as an opportunity for empowerment for those willing to work hard.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

Most Americans see multi-level marketing as misleading or a scam.

Which of the following statements best describes your views of multi-level marketing?

  • Often misleading about potential earnings, with most benefits going to those at the top - even if its not a scam. 34.2%
  • A scam or pyramid scheme designed to exploit participants. 27.8%
  • A business model that has both benefits and risks, depending on the situation. 18.4%
  • A fair business model and a legitimate way for people to earn money. 12.4%
  • An opportunity for empowerment in an unfair labor market for those willing to work hard. 7.2%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.5%

policy

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-04-09 → 2025-04-15
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.5%
Module
policy

Source

Citation

Verasight MPSA Omnibus Survey #2025-026, fielded April 9-15, 2025, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.5%.

https://verasight-mpsa-2025.tiiny.co

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.