Business can be conducted in many different ways. Unfortunately, one of the most controversial and harmful models is Multi-Level Marketing (MLM). In legal and financial discussions, such structures are often associated with pyramid schemes and Ponzi schemes, particularly when income depends primarily on recruitment rather than genuine product sales.
Over the past month, numerous complaints have surfaced regarding a company operating under the name “Tiens Company.” Individuals claim they were approached with promises of employment, invited for training sessions (for which they were charged fees), and later told that the “job” required purchasing company products and recruiting others.
How the Scheme Operates
Here is how the model typically works:
- A student or job seeker is promised employment.
- They are asked to pay between PKR 50,000 to 100,000 as a form of “investment.”
- Instead of receiving a salary, they are given overpriced products such as food supplements, calcium, and dietary vitamins.
- They are told they are not employees but “business partners.”
- They can only earn commissions (often 4% to 16%) by recruiting more people who also invest money.
Rather than selling products to real market consumers, the company effectively turns its own recruits into customers. The primary source of revenue becomes internal recruitment instead of genuine product demand.
The Financial Trap
Once someone invests PKR 60,000 or more, they realize that recovering their money depends entirely on recruiting others. To earn bonuses, they must convince friends, relatives, and family members to join.
In some rural areas, families reportedly sell livestock or land to fund what they believe is a legitimate job opportunity for their children. Instead, they become part of a recruitment chain where:
- One recruit brings in several others.
- Those recruits bring in more people.
- A pyramid structure forms.
- Only individuals at the top benefit.
- The majority lose their investment.
This structure mirrors classic pyramid-style operations, which are unsustainable and often collapse once recruitment slows down.
Regulatory Warning
Before investing in any company or joining any business opportunity, it is essential to verify its legal status.
You can check the official website of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to determine whether a company appears on its warning list.
During research into “Times Company,” a related entity was found listed as:
Tiens International Pakistan Corporation (Private) Limited
This company has appeared on the SECP warning list. If a company is included on such a list, you should:
- Avoid making any investment.
- Avoid joining as an employee or “partner.”
- Avoid any financial transactions with it.
What To Do If You Have Been Affected
If you believe you have been a victim of such a scheme:
- File a complaint at your nearest police station.
- Report the matter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
- Inform relevant higher authorities.
- Raise awareness in your community.
Public awareness is essential to prevent further victims. Many people with limited incomes invest their life savings into such schemes, only to face financial loss and emotional distress.
Final Advice
Be cautious if a company:
- Charges you money for a job opportunity.
- Requires you to purchase products to qualify for income.
- Pays commissions mainly for recruiting others.
- Promises quick profits through expanding a network.
A legitimate job pays you, it does not ask you to pay first.
Always verify before you invest, and protect your hard-earned money from fraudulent schemes.