A women’s spiritual and support group believed to be operating in the South West has been identified as having all of the hallmarks of an illegal pyramid scheme with Consumer Protection warning people not to take part.
A Living Workshop is recruiting women to join their group offering “a higher quality of life through education, empowerment and feminine collaboration”, but they must first pay a $5,000 “gift” with no guarantee of return, but the basis of joining is that you will at some point get a windfall.
Information leaflets that the group provides members have been obtained by Consumer Protection from a concerned Margaret River resident who had been invited to join but recognised it as a pyramid scheme.
New members are referred to as seeds and must provide their gift to existing members of the group who have achieved lotus status.
Methods of raising the $5,000 gift are suggested and include having a garage sale; getting people who owe you money to pay up; getting a second job; selling a car; borrowing against a life insurance policy or finding an angel to gift you the money.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said information supplied indicates clearly that A Living Workshop was a pyramid scheme that preys on vulnerable women.
“This group targets women looking for spiritual and financial fulfillment as well as a sense of belonging, but it comes at a high price,” he said.
“A code of silence is enforced on the members of the group who are advised not to reveal their discussions or activities with anyone outside the sisterhood.”
Anyone with information about the scheme should contact Consumer Protection via consumer@dmirs.wa.gov.au or 1300 30 40 54.
