Warning: Anything that walks and smells like a Scam is a Scam: A Case of Bitconnect et al

in #lifestyle7 years ago (edited)

In retrospect to 7 months ago, I wrote a steemit post see : Bitconnect a legit program or HYIP Scam for Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies about the dangers of bitconnect including the dangers of falling for such Ponzi schemes -fast forward to this week, the reality is showing itself. The internet, unfortunately, is fraught with hundreds of crypto and revenue sharing, HYIP (high yield investment programs) Ponzi scams that are too good to be true-however why are they popular? Here are some few points:

Pic source:

Commission junkies: Bitconnect, for example, is being promoted by top YouTube’s and some top steemians because of thousands of dollars they make daily from their referral links . In fact they even advertise their links on coinmarket cap, steemit posts, face book and youtube et al signing up thousands of disciples in need of quick money and those people signing up other new people leading to chains of future losers (note that they are not committing any crime and never force any one to sign up rather greed is the motivation of all ) however:

Losers and winners: those on top just like any other Ponzi, pyramid and HYIP make the big money while new members lose all because their money sponsors those on top. This is true in HYIP Ponzi schemes like MMM , MPCA/MPA , The Ads Team et al which couldn’t pay members daily revenue and thus have to shut its doors, why?

Unrealistic business model: Any business based on referral / commission ie signing up new people to succeed and promising unrealistic returns -is a PONZI scheme and should be avoided .

According to Investopedia, a Ponzi scheme is a dishonest investing scam promising high rates of return with little risk to investors. The Ponzi scheme generates returns for older investors by acquiring new investors. This is similar to a pyramid scheme in that both are based on using new investors' funds to pay the earlier backers. Moreover, the first well known Ponzi scheme was coordinated by Charles Ponzi in 1919 –read here for more.

**Avoid too good to be true: ** any business or person promising you too good to be true return is a scammer (pls do your due dilligence) and this is true of HYIP Schemes like Bitconnect -which never last more than 2 years max . Rather face reality by joining steem, powering up your steem see my former post for details and search for the next best thing an example is Ethereum lyte (Elyte) (see link for their current bounty , join and get free elytes here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FEonw5FIRlIPmUEZw1hkS2WsbZS8ZykyzuIbcYmDmEw/edit#responses and direct link to their current crowdsale : https://main.elyte.biz/?page_id=433 ) which are positively changing the lives of many people due to their solid business and corporate strategies that are based on future value of your investments.

Do you agree? Send in your comments and or suggestions. Upvote and resteem in order to send in your support.

See my former post : Warning! Cryptocurrencies ( Steem , Elyte.io, Bitcoin ) Are Not For The Faint-Hearted

Hey guys, heard about this new upcoming coin called Ethereum Lyte (ELYTE) , so far price has shot up over 2K% in just a few weeks- even as they are yet to be listed on Coin market cap (coming soon), seems like it might be a real good investment for the future. What are your thoughts?
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This is so true , If it's too good to be true then it's most likely too good to be true. The only concern is how Bitconnect was able to grow so much. I hope this sends a message to everyone that there is no easy money anywhere and you have to deeply research any project before investing.

Bitconnect was able to be successful because they gave themselves 1 year for full back payment of money ...so the business strategy will give them time to make big gains in the Ponzi scheme also giving their evangelists time to sign up newbies ...

I should have read this post exactly a month ago before I invested in Bitconnect. I may have lost something but I also learned some valuable lesson.
#myfirstcomment #newbie #ishashtagathinghere

welcome to steemit and sorry for your loss. See my older posts for tips on how to succeed here. Upped.

I will definitely check it out!

Ponzi or otherwise, Bitconnect was doing something that is opposing the logic of crypto. It's supposed to be not regulated, and here they were regulating your money as an investment.

Thank you for bringing more light to this topic. I can't tell you how many Trevon James fans I have argued with on his livestreams. Simply said, any investment that can garuantee you a return is not safe enough for you to put your money into. That being said, people probably won't listen, and this crypto ponzi cycle will continue. Regardless, beautifully written post!

I agree. The case is well known even @suppoman made a video about it . I do not blame @trevonjb because of promoting his site at least he taps to humanity greed and never forced someone to register. However knowingly hyping such HYIP scheme is morally wrong especially if you know that new signups will bleed one day.

I almost went into Bitconnect too. There were promoters as well as warners. In the end, I did not join.

Lucky you

Saw it a mile away and after watching some videos from their top spokesman I though it would be a good idea, but then it hit me, and right away realized people were about to be scammed out of all their money.

Lucky guy...thanks for sharing

Very informative especially for some of us new investors!

welcome, just do your due dilligence- always

Excellent work dear friend @ charles1 is a pity that people keep falling into this kind of thing, as my mother said of the easy things or too good to suspect and be very careful.
Thank you very much for sharing the information
I wish you a wonderful day

Thank you for checking my post and supporting it my friend. I appreciate your kindness

There are way too many exchange coins promising % of investor trading fees and referral programs on top of that for any sane person to be comfortable with how the exchanges themselves are acting. They should wonder why these companies would willingly choose to turn over a huge percentage of their long-term revenue streams, and if it's sustainable or realistic for them to operate on those low margins.

Very good point, I agree.

It has been sad to watch so many people be taken captive by the bitconnect scheme. Thank you for the reminder and sound advice to due our homework when he hear of an opportunity @charles1.

Welcome buddy, am sure that you are a very wise guy

This post has received gratitude of 2.74 % from @appreciator thanks to: @charles1.

does anyone know if lend connect is similar to bitconnect?

I never invested in bitconnect, just because people,
said it has a high risk, And I cannot miss any money.

Lucky you..many were not so lucky

Thank you @charles1 for making a transfer to me for an upvote of 8.15% on this post! Half of your bid goes to @budgets which funds growth projects for Steem like our top 25 posts on Steem! The other half helps holders of Steem power earn about 60% APR on a delegation to me! For help, will you please visit https://jerrybanfield.com/contact/ because I check my discord server daily? To learn more about Steem, will you please use http://steem.guide/ because this URL forwards to my most recently updated complete Steem tutorial?

Nice information bro your information alive my day

what is nice about the post bot?

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So far, my ETF investments have outperformed my crypto investments. Still hanging on.

Trusted

what? did you read the post?

a lot of scam and hyip out there good enough steemit opens an avenue for good studying of crypto and good dd before investing. thanks for sharing

Good point, I agree.

you are right, in business you can only make a certain amount of returns. I'm doing actuary so I know that the schemes which offer you return, which can make you rich in short amount of time then, such offers are nothing but fake, made only with the motive of luring the public into these scheme and fraud them with there hard earn money.

Always Invest after doing your thorough research about the investment and stay away from such fake schemes.

True !!! Everyone realized after hard hit !!

Your right, any business that promise high return with Les investment, need to be studied carfuly before investing.

Please suggest how Bitconnect was able to grow so much?

Through referral programs....AKA Ponzi scheme example % payment to many down levels

True and not true. Depend. We will se on the and of that case

I agree with you, but still there is a problem why so many people believe in scams (or just do not check before). I wish I would like to say that the bitconnect case is a good lesson for other people. But it is not. May of the bitconnect customers are putting money in the next product of bitconnect - BitconnectX only for the reason " this time i will quit in better moment"...

Few days ago I was writing about posibilities which people who lost money in bcc still may have. Your thoughts are welcome:
https://steemit.com/cryptocurrency/@grreenn/the-fall-of-the-bitconnect

@charles1 I think calling Bitconnect a 'Ponzi' is a bit of a stretch. It never went and pulled an exit scam like everyone said it would. I made a small profit from it. Scheme maybe, not a great idea to dump your life savings in, definitely. Regardless, good reading fodder.

Good point however the system is based on the real definition of ponzi scheme hence the referal payment system