OneX 4x4 forced matrix?

Does anyone remember this? From way back when snail mail was the big thing and no one had even heard of email.
Here's how it used to work. It was Chain Mail. Hey Bob just send $5 to everyone on my list and include your name on the list you send to them and find 10 other people and so on; pretty soon the money will be rolling in. Only difference is it's a computer and the money rolls uphill really fast via quick charges on your CC, and in order to keep getting people you have to keep spending the money you earn to get to the next level, buy some bogus software, next thing you know you're at the top and broke. All your monopoly money is gone. Those who implemented this have all your money. I don't see any other way for this to work.