Sydney man Dean Leroy Mannix, 32, of Camperdown, is the sixth person to be successfully prosecuted in Queensland under the Fair Trading Act for involvement in the Cash Club.

The Brisbane Magistrate's Court heard Mannix had conducted presentations in the city and at The Gap promoting the scam and recruiting new members. He was fined $1800 and ordered to pay $1028.50 in professional costs.

Fair Trading Minister Merri Rose said the Office of Fair Trading was intolerant of illegal pyramid schemes such as Cash Club and determined to shut them down.

Ms Rose warned consumers against becoming involved in the scheme.

"The schemes are illegal and anyone found involved in one will be prosecuted," she said.

"Pyramid schemes have been around a long time and they always come crashing down.

"I urge consumers to avoid the scams and report them to their local Fair Trading Office the minute they come across one."

Ms Rose said consumers could obtain a copy of 'The Little Black Book of Scams' and the Pyramid Selling and Chain Letter Fact Sheet from their local Fair Trading Office or its website www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au.

"Everyone needs to protect themselves. Awareness is the best form of protection," she said.

INQUIRIES: David Smith 3225 1005 / 0409 496 534 or Melissa Nelson (OFT) 3239 0652