An independent examiner has revealed shocking details surrounding the inner workings of Celsius – a crypto lender that filed for bankruptcy in July 2022. The examiner claimed that Celsius did not operate by the business model that it presented to customers. He likened it to a Ponzi scheme, much like FTX – a company that happened to have used the same accounting software: QuickBooks. The Truth About CEL Token Per a filing from examiner Shoba Pillay on Tuesday, Celsius had…
What Are Crypto Ponzi Schemes?
A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation where returns are paid to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors rather than from profit earned by the operator. For example, in the case of a crypto Ponzi scheme, the operator typically promotes a new or obscure cryptocurrency and encourages people to invest in it by promising high returns.
The operator may also use various tactics to create the illusion of a successful investment, such as showing fake transaction history or using social media to create a buzz around the cryptocurrency. However, the operator does not invest the funds in any legitimate activities, and eventually, the scheme collapses as the operator cannot pay returns to investors.
How to Spot Crypto Ponzi Schemes?
Here are some red flags to watch out for when trying to spot a crypto Ponzi scheme:
- Guaranteed high returns: Crypto Ponzi schemes often promise unrealistic returns much higher than what is possible through legitimate investments. It is if an investment opportunity seems too good to be true.
- Pressure to invest quickly: Ponzi schemes often rely on a sense of urgency to get people to invest quickly before they have a chance to do their due diligence. Please be careful about any investment opportunity that pressures you to invest quickly.
- Little to no information on the company or investment: A legitimate investment opportunity will typically have a clear and transparent business model and be able to provide detailed information about the company and the investment.
- Complex or secretive investment strategies: A Ponzi scheme may use them to make it difficult for investors to understand how their money is being used.
- No clear way to cash out or withdraw investments: Ponzi schemes often make it difficult or impossible for investors to cash out their investments.
- Anonymous or unverifiable leadership: Ponzi schemes often have anonymous or unverifiable leadership, which makes it difficult to hold them accountable for their actions.
Please do your research and diligence before making any investment decisions, and consult a financial advisor or professional to get a second opinion on any investment opportunity.
The Biggest Crypto Ponzi Schemes
Some of the biggest crypto Ponzi schemes to date include:
- BitConnect: This scheme, which operated between 2016 and 2018, promised investors returns of up to 40% per month. The company claimed to have a trading bot that could generate these returns, but in reality, the company was using new investor funds to pay returns to exist investors. As a result, the scheme collapsed in January 2018, resulting in significant investor losses.
- OneCoin: OneCoin was a Ponzi scheme that operated from 2014 to 2016. The company promised investors large returns by mining and trading the OneCoin cryptocurrency. However, the company needed real mining operations or value behind OneCoin. As a result, the scheme collapsed in 2016, leaving many investors with large losses.
- PlusToken: Plus Token was a South Korean Ponzi scheme that promised investors high returns by trading various cryptocurrencies. It was launched in 2018 and collapsed in 2019, resulting in around $3 billion in losses.
Ponzi schemes are illegal, and investors should be careful when investing in any crypto assets and be sure to do their due diligence before making any investment decisions.