Matrix scheme
A matrix scheme is a business model that involves the exchange of money primarily for being added to a waiting list for a product. Once a list receives enough new members, the person at the top of the list receives the product, and the next person in the list moves up. Matrix schemes are heavily promoted across the Internet, especially on sites such as eBay and craigslist.
The operation of a matrix scheme varies. To move upward in the list, the person must wait for new members to join, or refer a certain number of people to the list. The products involved with a matrix list are usually high-demand consumer electronics, such as portable MP3 players, plasma and high-definition television sets, laptop computers, and cellular phones. As more people join a list, the probability that they will cycle to the top is unlikely, and eventually the matrix will collapse.
Unlike a pyramid scheme, a product is delivered in the course of the purchase, although the product is generally of little or no value. Most matrix site owners sell electronic books or software CD-ROMs, and then add a person to a product list as a "bonus."
The legality of matrix schemes is still unclear. Although matrix site owners claim their scheme is within the law, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the U.K. MSNBC
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