High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A pyramid scheme is a non-sustainable business model that involves the exchange of money primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, often without any product or service being delivered. Pyramid schemes are a form of fraud. Pyramid schemes are illegal in many countries including Albania, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.