{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/pyramid-sales","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/pyramid-sales","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"pyramid-sales","term":"Pyramid Sales","aka":"Pyramid scheme","group":"Reading the business","definition":"A fraudulent business model where participants profit primarily from recruiting new members, not from selling legitimate products or services. It's an illegal and unsustainable scheme.","what_it_means":"The SBA explicitly prohibits lending to businesses involved in pyramid sales or multi-level marketing where income is primarily derived from recruitment. During due diligence, rigorously vet the business model to ensure it's based on genuine sales and not a pyramid scheme, which would make it ineligible for an SBA loan.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/pyramid-sales","official_sources":[{"slug":"13-cfr-part-120","title":"13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans","official_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-120","official_label":"View on eCFR","authority_tier":1,"publisher":"Office of the Federal Register","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/13-cfr-part-120"},{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"}],"related":[{"slug":"ineligible-businesses-rule","term":"Ineligible businesses rule","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/ineligible-businesses-rule"},{"slug":"due-diligence","term":"Due diligence","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/due-diligence"},{"slug":"multi-level-marketing-company","term":"Multi-Level Marketing Company","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/multi-level-marketing-company"},{"slug":"fraud","term":"Fraud","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/fraud"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"How does the SBA evaluate the eligibility of an applicant business involved in multi-level marketing or pyramid sales schemes?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-the-sba-evaluate-the-eligibility-of-an-applicant-business-involved-in-multi-level"},{"question":"Are proceeds from personal investment sales eligible for equity injection?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/are-proceeds-from-personal-investment-sales-eligible-for-equity-injection"},{"question":"How does a lender evaluate the market value of collateral when there are limited comparable sales?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/how-does-a-lender-evaluate-the-market-value-of-collateral-when-there-are-limited-comparabl"},{"question":"Can I get an SBA 7(a) loan if my business is a startup with no sales yet?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/can-i-get-an-sba-7-a-loan-if-my-business-is-a-startup-with-no-sales-yet"},{"question":"How does a lender ensure timely and accurate reporting of 7(a) loan sales on the secondary market to the SBA?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-ensure-timely-and-accurate-reporting-of-7-a-loan-sales-on-the-secondary-"},{"question":"What are the SBA's reporting requirements for 7(a) lenders regarding sales of guaranteed loan portions on the secondary market?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-are-the-sba-s-reporting-requirements-for-7-a-lenders-regarding-sales-of-guaranteed-lo"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Pyramid Sales","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/pyramid-sales","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}