Pyramid Schemes

So the other day, a friend of mine from college I haven't spoken to in a couple years facebook chats me.  I haven't talked to her in quite a while and it seems rather out of the blue, but I always liked her.  The conversation goes something like this.  Let's, for now, call her Sara (not her real name).

Sara:  Hey!!

Jaime:  Hey girl!

Sara:  How are you?

Me:  Good, how are you doing?

(insert a little bit of what have you been up to, where do you live these days, where do you work, etc)

Me:  I work at a small ad agency, how about you?

Sara:  I work at XXX company and I have my own business as well.

(Editor's sidenote:  Yes, I immediately see the red flag as well.)

Me:  How is that going?  Do you like that?

Sara:  XXX Company, no.  My own business, yes.

Me:  (Hmm, what do I do here?!)

Well, one out of two ain't bad?

(The conversation seems to have it a lull.  I should have let it die its own peaceful death on its own, but fool that I am, I thought we were just catching up.)

What kind of business do you have?

Sara:  Let me tell you all about it!  Do you have 20 minutes?!

Me:  Uh, no.  I was just gonna go return a phone call.  Maybe you can give me a one minute synopsis.

Sara:  How about we talk tomorrow.

Me:  Uh, ok.... (At this point I don't know what to do.  I'm not averse to talking to her again, but not for the obvious reasons she wants to talk.)

Sara:  What's your phone number?

At this point, I passively close the chat, get up, and walk away from the computer.  I don't feel too bad about it because she clearly doesn't feel bad about harassing me to try to join in her pyramid scheme.  I was afraid I would have to block her from chatting or, awkwardly, be pretty blunt that I don't want to hear about her business opportunity.  I do some further facebook research and I see, from her page, that she's clearly been suckered in.  She's found a solution to all her problems in this wonderful get rich quick scheme she's found. She will soon be a wealthy, independent business owner.  And she has quite the network of people who are in this with her.  I see people commenting on the fact that she's gotten suckered.   I see people who've also gotten suckered defending their ways and criticizing the others for 'being cynical and negative!'

What I was most surprised about is, knowing this girl back in college, she seemed like a reasonably smart, logical girl.  I know she has a college education.  She, in theory, is has potential for doing so much better than this.  Is it the bad economy?  Have people gotten desperate?  Have people gotten hopeless?  The other day in a coffee shop, I heard someone pitching a pyramid scheme to a poor innocent sap.  From some facebook posts made by other friends, it seems as though this friend might not be alone.  Is it easier in these times to get suckered into something?  Does anyone actually like being in a pyramid scheme?  Does anyone enjoy harassing their friends/family/people they know?  I am not sure I am someone who is up for cold calling in general; I'd be very hesitant to cold call on my own personal network (as opposed strangers holding roles in businesses).  Is there anyone in a pyramid scheme who is actually happy?  (Other than the obvious one person at the top.)