Episode 14 - Wealth is like a Pyramid (ACCC v Jutsen)

If life is like a box of chocolates, then wealth is like a pyramid. Pyramids have played an important part in the history of human kind – the Great Pyramids of Giza, the 5 food groups, the illuminati. But some aren’t so joyfully received and are even banned by the Australian Consumer Law.

In this episode of Keeping Up with the Consumer Law, Grieger tries to walk us through one of the more interesting components of the Australian Consumer Law; the prohibition of pyramid schemes. Grieger introduces the ill-fated TVI Express scheme, a scheme the ACCC described as a scam. We aren’t going to give any more away here, give the episode a listen to be entirely confused by the scheme.

This is the fourteenth episode of Keeping Up with the Consumer Law. Keeping Up with the Consumer Law is financially supported by the Law Foundation of South Australia.

Want to learn more about this case? Check out some of the details here:

• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Jutsen (No 3) [2011] FCA 1352

• $200,000 penalty for TVI Express pyramid selling scam (21 May 2012) https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/200000-penalty-for-tvi-express-pyramid-selling-scam

• Court finds TVI Express a pyramid selling scheme (30 November 2011) https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/court-finds-tvi-express-a-pyramid-selling-scheme

Get in touch with Grieger and Lisk at ⁠www.consumerlaw.media/contact⁠, where you can also find out more about our up-and-coming multi-level marketing program.

Keeping Up with the Consumer Law is intended to be for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Does this episode raise any questions for you about how you can use the ACL or what your obligations are under the ACL? We recommend seeing a lawyer, head over to ⁠www.consumerlaw.media/legal-advice⁠ for more information.

Keeping Up with the Consumer Law is recorded and produced on Kaurna Country.