Three government agencies have launched a joint national awareness campaign in an attempt to steer university students clear of pyramid-selling scams.
As part of the campaign, the ministries of education and public security, and the State Administration of Industry and Commerce have organised seminars at Guangdong universities about deceptive pyramid-marketing schemes the authorities call 'cults of the business world'.
'Students from time to time are trapped in pyramid-selling scams. And keeping campuses clear of pyramid selling is an important task,' People's Daily quoted the commerce agency's deputy director, Zhong Youping, saying.
It was unclear, however, how long the campaign would run. The ministries of education and public security were not available for comment.
Due to intense competition in the job market, a growing number of disillusioned university graduates and students have been duped into pyramid-selling scams in recent years.
Li Xu , once a member of a Guangxi pyramid-selling racket, said university students accounted for between 80 and 90 per cent of the membership of some of the highly organised, but secretive schemes.
Last year, police busted a pyramid-selling ring that involved more than 500,000 people in 20 cities and provinces. One of the ringleaders was a 30-year-old post-doctoral student.