Summit Osmosis Systems, Coerced into joining pyramid scheme; now owe $3,000 which I cannot pay back and is damaging my credit. Henderson Nevada; Internet

Last May, a new "friend" of mine came to me, very excited about a new opportunity she was participating in. She raved about it and claimed that she had already made $9,000 and that her friend who introduced her to it had already made over $16,000, in just a few short weeks. Had it not been for her rave review, I would have been extremely skeptical and would not have fallen for the scheme, which involved purchasing a water filtration system for $3,000 in order to get involved, and then inviting people to presentations where the product would theoretically sell itself. They had a very attractive pay structure. I should have realized it was a "too good to be true" deal, but alas, I am naive - plus, my "friend" was LYING about the money she and her friend had supposedly made at this game.

Well, it was pretty easy to justify becoming part of the scheme because with financing, I had six months of no interest and no payments - PLENTY of time to get 6 people to buy the system and earn back the money for my own system. Except, most people aren't as stupid as I am, and I didn't get anywhere with it except SCREWED. Now I am several months behind in payments on the thing - which, incidentally, I never took out of the box - and my credit is ruined. Summit Osmosis Systems will not accept the product back; they give their customers only three days to change their minds (not nearly enough time to figure out that the whole thing is a crock).

Even if I hadn't gotten caught up in the pyramid scheme, the fact that they charge $3,000 for their system is questionable at best. The filters must be replaced at least yearly, for about $200. The system itself may be decent quality - I did really like the water - however, I think the price they charge is over the top.

Christel
Sunland, California
U.S.A.