EVERYONE is susceptible at the right place and the right time. Other people would say I would never fall for that – but everyone is susceptible to falling for a lie. The right lie, the right time, and the right trusted person.

If you think you are immune, you are the most susceptible. The only way to protect yourself is education about the red flags.

If you know someone in a cult, don’t accuse them of being in a cult. Provide them a lifeline they can call when they start having doubts. Ask them to explain what they’re doing so they can start hearing what they’re doing is crazy.

Actress Sarah Edmondson was introduced to Nxivm as an executive success program – that turns out to be a blackmail sexual domination pyramid scheme that duped thousands of famous and extremely intelligent people. It was run by a man who was idolized – but in reality was using the program to fund his lifestyle and create a domination sex pipeline to feed his appetites. It became an HBO’s documentary on Nxivm, “The Vow,” that has lead many people to realize they were in similar organizations.

They used lots of classic cult methods – but in a unique way. They didn’t target people who you would think as vulnerable. They weren’t a religious cult – they sold people on the idea of being successful and reaching their goals. They targeted successful, intelligent, rich people, actors, and government heads. And it worked.

These methods are used by all kinds of cults. While many associate cults with religious cults – the reality is that these methods are increasingly being used in self-help programs, pyramid scheme marketing programs, startup culture, and social media.

• Word salad – starting with important concepts everyone agrees with (loving each other, reaching our goals, etc) then wanders into words and phrases that are seemingly random or don’t make sense.
• Uncomfortable personal presence – Getting an uncomfortable/’icky’ vibe from even being around the person. It’s often not something you can directly identify, but is common with sexual predators. Trust your gut. If something seems wrong, it probably is wrong.
• Radical personal responsibility – They sold the seemingly ’empowering’ notion you can evolve yourself and your limiting beliefs to become exactly the kind of person you want by using their special personal management tools/technology. While this seemed empowering, this was used to throw things back at members. If someone said they didn’t like something or how they were treated, then the instructors would throw it back and challenge them to overcome that limitation. Re-iterating they were there to grow
• Secret knowledge: Believing these breakthrough methods and technologies would help them achieve what they wanted in their professional and personal lives by ‘breaking through’ the things that were stopping them from being successful or getting what they wanted. They promised everything they needed was in the program. They used this message tapped into the elites of government/actors/etc to take expensive $150k sessions. They targeted people who were successful and very intelligent – and it worked.
• Multi-level marketing/Pyramid scheme structure – they use the illusion of hope, personal growth, and success to sell the curriculum. They opened new chapters and bring in more clients – all the while the first level groups weren’t even making rent. The money went to fund the organizer’s lifestyles.
• Exclusivity – you’re special to even be considered. This opportunity won’t come again. All done via word of mouth connections between rich, famous, and powerful people. It pressures you to embrace it fully and keep you there.
• Secrecy/shame – she was forced to reveal very personal information/confessions/videos to ‘prove’ she was committed and change herself – but in reality was going to be used for blackmail and create a power dynamic of master and slave. She had to be available at all times via phone/etc and had to respond to her master. This became a trap because if you ever did wake up, you realize the shame of what could be revealed and they lengths you had debased yourself.
• Uncomfortable – she had many cases of feeling very uncomfortable and feeling things were wrong – but they preached a message that you need to feel uncomfortable so you get used to the effort required to break through old habits that prevent you from reaching your goals. Example: they used breakout sessions in the training that made them do lots of uncomfortable things such as rating and ranking everyone publicly by traits: attractiveness, honesty, intelligence, etc.
• Trauma bond – she had to get a painful tattoo to create a ‘trauma bond’ with her sisters. This helped them control her. In reality, the branding was the leader’s initials in reverse.

Red flags:

• Google ‘Is X a cult?” and see if the group has lots of reported problems. Look at the organization’s responses. If it’s all ‘They’re just crazy/jilted’, then that’s cause for concern.
• Cults prey on people who are needy. Are they promising unrealistic things like guaranteed success by following a simple program/plan?
• Look at the organization like a relationship. Is the toxic? Can you leave? Can you be yourself? Are you cutting off parts of yourself to feel belonging?

Update Feb 2, 2025: Many of these same methods were being used on a local Vancouver woman – until a teller helped snap her out of just about giving $50,000 to a skin care/spa swindler.