The company sells supplements, jewellery, skincare products, travel packages, online courses, among others, through its e-commerce platform.
According to its management, if buyers can refer others to patronize their products, they can earn commissions on the purchases of the people they refer.
Even though it sounds like a great business opportunity, QNET shows signs of a Ponzi or pyramid scheme. As such, operations of QNET have over the years been banned in several countries including Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Canada, India, Turkey, amongst others.
QNET claims that the lack of legislation for direct selling in these and other countries is the root cause of all the accusations and bashing it has been receiving, even though its operations are genuine.
Meanwhile here in Ghana, quite several QNET agencies have been set up in parts of the Eastern Region and several other undiscovered locations. At these agencies, Independent Representatives introduce the direct selling business to innocent citizens and even foreigners and convince them of the credibility of the business which is not the case.
Most of those involved in this business are based in the Eastern Region as well as in other locations around the country with Kasoa being a centre of the conversation. There are Ghanaians, Nigerians, Malians, and Burkinabe, some of which are tricked into joining and forced to work with these QNET agencies.
These potential agents are asked to undergo ‘training’ and buy at least one of the QNET’s products online, the least price being GH₵ 4,200 before they can be registered as Independent Representatives to start earning commissions.
In an interview with Yaw, a young man who was introduced to sign up, he said he had to pull out after realizing things were not adding up.
“I went for a QNET presentation at a location that I want to keep private,” Yaw told Pulse.com.gh.
“I didn’t find their home settings favourable in the sense that, I noted little things which reversed my intention to sign up to QNET. I realized their testimonial footage they filmed to show us looked staged and unreal.”
Another person who would like to stay anonymous gave a full account of her experience:
“A friend reached out to me on how to make quick money. Even though I was sceptical about this move I needed that money badly. As early as 4 am I left Haatso to Kasoa to the QNET office for an interview.
“When I got to the entrance of the office, I saw a lot of youth there that made me comfortable a bit but I must confess, where the venue is situated is not a place anyone who loved to go alone. A solitary place with a handful of building around.
“I got in and saw a man who looked like he was on a food strike. So lean and looked very unkempt teaching a group of people obviously on how to scam. I was offered a seat when I entered and told to wait for my turn for the interview.
“I got into the office for the interview and it was all so funny. Looking at a man whom I thought should be organised has bleached from head to toe. His knuckles, alone got me wondering if I was at the right place.
“The interview ended earlier than I thought, asking me for my background details and if I can make sales. They made it look like it was a network company where I had to get to people and also sign people on. I thought that was the end of the interview until he told me I can only get the jot after I pay GHS 4000.
“Onua! If I had that money I wouldn't come there at all. I left the office and I had my friend convincing me to quickly sign up and start. He said it's very lucrative and he has got enough to even start his own business.
“He advised that I borrow money from people to make payment which I didn't because of that he never spoke to me again.
“Anuanom today this guy dey br3 papa. Dem chop am koraa and he doesn't know how to scam even though he was taken through scamming lessons.”
These innocent people who fall into the hands of network marketing schemes like QNET due to unemployment lose huge sums of money they acquire through loans or savings.
Also, other people are at a risk of being dragged into this fraudulent ‘money-sucking’ chain.
If the above-mentioned countries and many others have banned the operations of Qnet over the years, what is Ghana waiting for?