Last July, we told you about the FTC’s settlement with Herbalife, which made the multilevel marketing company not only restructure how it does business, but also pay $200 million to people who lost money trying to run an Herbalife business. Today, we mailed checks to about 350,000 of them. Are you thinking about a multilevel marketing (MLM) business opportunity? Every year, many people join MLM plans – and many also leave. Before joining any MLM company, do some research. Your time and money are too valuable not to. Here are a few things to consider:

Lots of people choose a college to boost their earning potential. So it might have been appealing if you came across an ad from DeVry claiming that 90 percent of graduates actively seeking employment landed jobs in their field within six months of graduation. And that DeVry bachelor’s degree graduates, on average, had 15 percent higher incomes one year after graduation than the graduates of all other colleges or universities.

The FTC says that Phoenix-based telemarketers bilked consumers out of millions with fake promises of free grant money and internet business opportunities.

If you’re just getting by, and someone offers you the chance to earn more money through a business opportunity, you might be willing to listen, right?

Unfortunately, those offers often turn out to be just another scam. Today the FTC announced charges against three people and multiple companies behind a telemarketing scheme that targeted older people and veterans, and took millions of dollars from people with promises they would multiply their investment.