Multilevel marketing company distributors are asking for cash donations so they can buy their own supplies to give to first responders, doctors and nurses and others on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. But experts warn this is a marketing ploy to improve sales volume and that consumers' donation money is better spent directly donating to hospitals or other reputable organizations.

Distributors for companies including Arbonne, a skincare, cosmetics, and nutrition MLM; and Scentsy, an MLM that sells wax warmers and products, are soliciting funds through Facebook fundraisers, asking for money on social media through Venmo or PayPal or asking for consumers to buy items directly through their sites so they can be donated. On Facebook alone, dozens of fundraisers had gathered more than $13,000 for "care packages" or "break room bundles" containing items like "fizz sticks" or protein bars from Arbonne. Distributors are posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even LinkedIn to raise funds.

As COVID-19 has spread the globe, people have tried to take advantage of the situation in many ways. In March, CNBC found that many distributors for MLM companies, such as Doterra and Young Living, were claiming on Facebook that their products can prevent consumers from getting coronavirus.

This latest tactic is not as egregious as medical claims — distributors in their fundraisers are not claiming that their products can cure or prevent disease. But consumers should be aware that their donations might help the MLM companies and vendors more than the people receiving the donations.

For instance, some distributors that said they were buying items for specific hospitals or health systems. But when CNBC contacted those hospitals and organizations or reviewed their donation policies, they typically said they preferred direct financial donations or were primarily seeking personal protective equipment. Some said they weren't accepting food donations at all.

Some sellers claimed they wouldn't take a commission. But even if they're not taking commissions themselves, portions of each sale would still go to the distributor's upstream suppliers and the multilevel marketer itself, and would help the distributor's ranking in the company, experts said.

"Every time a distributor buys a product, whether they buy it with their own money or donated money, the parent company makes a significant margin," said William Keep, a marketing professor and interim provost and VP for academic affairs at The College of New Jersey who has studied multilevel marketing. "When a person donates money for someone to make a purchase from an MLM, they are actually supporting the profits of the parent firm."

A spokesman for Scentsy said it is never appropriate for Scentsy consultants, who are not employees of the company, to "use situations of natural disaster or government-declared states of emergency as a means to promote their businesses or the sale of Scentsy products – and this [includes] fundraising efforts." He said when the company is aware of consultants doing so they work with them to stop those efforts. He also pointed to a number of efforts at the company at the corporate level to help amid the pandemic.

Arbonne sent a statement Saturday saying that it "upholds the highest standards of integrity" and that it does not condone "deceptive, unethical or illegal practices of any kind." The company also provided a link to a Facebook post from its "Business Ethics and Sustainability Team" about its charitable giving policies, which state that any fundraising efforts organized by consultants can't be "sanctioned, endorsed or promoted by Arbonne" and that consultants shouldn't take any actions or imply anything that could be viewed as "taking advantage of the current situation."

Its statement also said its compensation plan does not have minimum purchase requirements for its independent consultants to join Arbonne and doesn't have requirements to build a team.

"We recognize that many Independent Consultants have a generous spirit of giving back to local communities. Arbonne has published guidelines for our independent sales field in this regard," part of the statement reads. "For example, Arbonne recommends that Independent Consultants check with their chosen non-profit to determine what they can accept, as we have heard that in light of the COVID-19 situation, many can only accept a financial donation."

The Direct Selling Association, of which both companies are members, said in a statement that direct selling companies and their salespeople are often involved in charitable activities that support their communities.

"Direct sellers will be an important part of recovering from this crisis, and DSA is confident that our member companies and their salespeople will make charitable contributions with the same level of responsibility, concern, sensitivity and ethics with which they should always conduct their business," it said in the statement. "Commitment to community is more vital than ever, and every business, direct sellers included, should abide by the highest standards of business ethics and responsibility to consumers." The organization also pointed to a resource hub on how to respond to the pandemic.