Actually there's a lot of ways to earns and gains high numbers of merits, but you need to make something evil or bad to make it happen. For example exchanging of merits from the other users, buying merits from the other users, connivance regarding giving merit to different users, buying of merits, giving merit by themselves and etc. But don't try to ruin your own by doing this thing, because that's the reason why I have negative trusts now. I advise to many users to stop following my steps, don't even try to used any cheat to earn some merit. Because Karma is too fast, even you don't want it to happen it will be happen.

If you really wants to earn a lot of merits, just work hard, try to make some research regarding with the topic and replies with a lot of sense. Other than that give some advise that really helpful with the others.