• Luxinvest, Quantum International and Quantum sp. z o.o. - these companies could have created a pyramid-based promotional scheme.
• As UOKiK has established, they promise benefits for persuading other people to buy packages.
• The Office has presented charges against the companies.

Luxinvest sp. z o.o., Quantum sp. z o.o. (both companies from Nowy Sącz) and Quantum International EN LLC from Cheyenne in the United States - these companies have been presented with allegations by the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection concerning promotion and operation of pyramid-type systems.

- Currently, the activities of these companies may be known to consumers under the brand "Quantum International". During the investigation it was found that the same people were behind them. The basis for our actions was a signal from the consumer - says Tomasz Chróstny, President of UOKiK.

In their advertising communications, the companies stressed that they assisted consumers with claiming compensation and sold training services. They also organised nationwide conferences at which they presented the terms of cooperation. However, it follows from the previous findings of the Office that the main activity of these companies may be selling packages and recruiting new people, while advertising of compensation services or training services may be aimed at giving them credibility in the eyes of consumers.

Quantum International EN LLC promises profits on two conditions. The first one is to purchase a package - a VIP package costs PLN 14.3 thousand, a business package - PLN 5390, and a mini package - PLN 2690. The second condition is to persuade other people to buy these packages. In the opinion of UOKiK, such actions may indicate that this is a pyramid scheme. The mechanism of pyramid schemes is that they earn money on user fees, but the possibility of recruiting new members ends sooner or later, so the system collapses and consumers lose their money.

Not only the establishment and running of pyramids is an unfair market practice. This also includes their promotion. Consumer, watch out for positive reviews about specific promotional systems posted on the Internet or on social networks. The purpose of such reviews may be to persuade you to put your money in a financial pyramid. Be careful, you can lose money.

Consumers should act with due caution when someone:

• promises them large profits in a short time,
• describes the way he/she operates rather vaguely and in general terms or explains that he/she has just started his/her activity,
• avoids answering their specific questions,
• uses lofty words and phrases such as: “become a partner”, “change your life”, ‘make money with no effort” etc.,
• offers them coupons, investment packages, participation certificates,
• refers them to a website that does not contain much information or is “under construction”,
• refers them to a website that is not available in Polish (but is available in such languages as Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Indonesian etc.) and the company is registered in an exotic country,
• points out that persuading other people to participate in the scheme is an essential, if not a sine qua non, condition for receiving remuneration,
• does not reveal sources of the scheme financing or presents them very generally.

Report the scheme to law enforcement agencies (police, prosecutor’s office).

Consumer support:

Phone: +48 801 440 220 or +48 22 290 89 16 – consumer helpline
e-mail: porady@dlakonsumentow.pl
Consumer ombudsmen – in your town or district
Regional Consumer Centres: Phone: +48 22 299 60 90 – Dlakonsumenta.pl

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone +48 695 902 088, +48 22 55 60 246
E-mail: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL