PONZIRECTORY - List of known Ponzi Schemes / Pyramiding / MLM Scams

[blueray007]

I've been seeing lots of people asking about investment this investment that here in r/phinvest and it's really easy to check if these are legit but still a lot fall victim to them. Remember:

If it's too good to be true it probably is.​

Some things to check if an investment is actually a scam:

• Is it registered in SEC? (this alone is not proof it's not a scam, but if it fails this part, immediate RED FLAG!)
• Is it listed in SEC's Cease and Desist Orders? link
• Is recruiting other people part of the modus?
• Do you need to sell expensive products that can be bought cheaply through other sources?
• Does it promise high returns in a short period of time?
• Does it promise guaranteed returns? (remember even high risk investments like equities never guarantee any profit)
• Does it involve stocks but they are not a legit stock broker?
• Does it involve crypto but they are not a legit crypto exchange?
• Etc. *Other things that does not seem right

Why create this thread? I just want r/phinvest to be free of any posts that promote these scams.

So I would need everyone's help to create this living post so that people can be easily informed. Please comment if you know of any scams to add to the list.

Name of Scam Details Status
Xiancoin / Xian Coin
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Francis Leo Marcos Family Club Incorporated
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Llamadista Online Sabong / Llamadista.com
SEC link
SEC Advisory

G-Harvest Incorporated / Great Harvest / GHI
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Premium Business / Premium Biz PH / PBx Trading
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Project 1.8 Financial Program
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Mer's Business Center
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Seven Stag International OPC
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Coco-J Funds Corp. / Coco-J Funds Digital Marketing
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Massdrop Marketing
SEC link
SEC Advisory

IXTrade
Raffy Tulfo video / Reddit post / Shill post / SEC link
Verified scam (SEC Warning)

Wonkacash / Wonka Cash App
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/373699/sec-warns-public-vs-4-firms-soliciting-online-investments
Verified scam (SEC Warning)

Learn and Earn Online / 247 Cryptotrading Fx / 247 Cryptotrade Online / Exchangestock / Binary Options Trading / Wolves Options
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/373699/sec-warns-public-vs-4-firms-soliciting-online-investments
Verified scam (SEC Warning)

Investrade Marketing / Investrade Digital Marketing Services
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/373699/sec-warns-public-vs-4-firms-soliciting-online-investments
Verified scam (SEC Warning)

Zafire
Reddit link
MLM Scam

Tzy Trading / TZY Health and Wellness Trading
Comment link
Pending

Infinity Payb / Payb Bills Payment and Remittance
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Masa Mart
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Royal O Consultancy Services
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Align Assets
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Solmax Global Limited / Igniter 100
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Lokal Plate
SEC link
SEC Cease and Desist Order 2021

Chiyuto Creative Wealth
SEC link
SEC Cease and Desist Order 2021

OMG / One Market Global
SEC link
SEC Advisory

Daily Passive
SEC link
SEC Advisory

BHIP Philippines
Reddit link
MLM Scam

Zynergia
Reddit link
MLM Scam

Forsage / Forsage Philippines
SEC link
SEC Cease and Desist Order 2020

CROWD1
SEC link
SEC Cease and Desist Order 2020

LearnToTrade
Reddit link
Verified scam

Organico Agribusiness Ventures Corp.
SEC link
SEC Cease and Desist Order 2019

Kapa Community Ministry International, Inc.
SEC link
SEC Cease and Desist Order 2019

Emgoldex / Global Intergold / Prosperous Infinite Phils. Holding Corp.
SEC link
SEC Cease and Desist Order 2015

TVI Express
SEC link
SEC Cease and Desist Order 2013

Active MLM's (Investors Beware!!)

Empowered Consumerism

AIM Global

Frontrow

USANA

Toktok / JC Premiere

Young Living

Herbalife

UNO (Unlimited Network of Opportunities)

PGI Global / Praetorian Group International

AI Trades

Maximum 88 Corporation

*BONUS: watch this clip and let me know afterwards if you're still willing to get involved in MLM's. You're welcome.

 

[resjudicata]

@blueray007 That guide is too elaborate. No time to check all that. Back in college early 2000s my prof said, if a business gets the bulk of its profit mostly from downlines registering and not the sale of the product -- stay away.

My own additional observance is -- if you have to pay a company so you can earn --- you are the product.

 

[randintellectual]

@blueray007 Please investigate abt Masa Mart. May pacrypto crypto pa sila na XUM kahit wala ka naman magoogle about it. Matagal ko nang winarningan parents ko kase may SEC warning yung Masa Mart pag ginoogle mo pero puro boomer clapbacks lang binibigay sakin.

https://www.sec.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021Advisory_Masa-Mart-Business-Center-OPC.pdf

 

[blueray007]

@randintellectual Yes, it definitely looks like a scam. And the SEC warning is already a big clue.

Worse, it appears that no open exchanges allow the trading of UMC and XUM so MASA MART seemingly manages its own digital exchange platform contrary to Sections 32 of the SRC on the “Prohibition on Use of Unregistered Exchange.”

Accordingly, those who invite or recruit other people to join or invest in this venture or offer investment contracts or securities to the public may be held criminally liable under Section 28 of the SRC penalized with a maximum fine of Five Million Pesos (P 5,000,000.00) or imprisonment of Twenty One (21) years or both pursuant to Section 73 of the SRC (SEC vs. Oudine Santos G.R. No. 195542, 19 March 2014).

In view thereof, the public is hereby advised to exercise caution before investing in these kinds of activities and to take the necessary precautions in dealing with MASA MART BUSINESS CENTER OPC., MASA MART ENTERPRISE OPC, MASA MART BUSINESS CENTER and its related entities or its representatives. In view thereof, the public is further advised NOT TO INVEST or TO STOP INVESTING in any investment scheme being offered by aforesaid entities/individuals.

 

[resjudicata]

@blueray007 To the mods, can I request that this post be pinned?

 

[excellentwife]

@resjudicata Good suggestion! But I think it's more better to include this in the FAQs, would u agree?

I can't tag the mods though hehehehe

 

[resjudicata]

@excellentwife Yes! That would be better. I hope they can read this.

 

[pentecostal1ness]

@resjudicata Done. I've created a wiki page. Current version is the table, pending is the fixing of the links and adding the items from the comments.

Link to the page is: https://www.reddit.com/r/phinvest/wiki/ponzi

Tagging /@excellentwife also

 

[excellentwife]

@pentecostal1ness Yeah! thank you!

 

[blueray007]

@excellentwife No worries, just want to help

 

[resjudicata]

@pentecostal1ness Thank you!

 

[ibelieve1994]

@blueray007 Toktok and other JC premier frsnchises seem to be an MLM too.

https://cyberbump.net/toktok-online-franchise/

 

[dsweats81]

@blueray007 Have you heard of Empowered Consumerism? I think this is like an MLM as well. This has been booming in Cebu and Leyte so far I think?

 

[williem]

@dsweats81 I've read somewhere that empowered consumerism is aim global before tho I can't confirm

 

[dsweats81]

@williem Ohh, upon checking aim in FB, they are indeed selling the same products. Is AIM an MLM, too?

 

[williem]

@dsweats81 yes AIM global is an MLM, random fact Avon is an MLM too

 

[dsweats81]

@williem Really Avon? My mom used to buy from Avon a lot in the past. Good thing she wasn't recruited as a seller hahahaba

 

[kenbrace]

@dsweats81 Yes Avon is an MLM too. Some other Direct Selling Companies somehow seems to be like this approach too. But unlike other companies, they don't ask you to give money. Instead, they ask you to buy their products based on what you only want to sell. What makes it profitable is the fact that Companies like AVON sell their products to their members in their discounted price and the members sell them to consumers in their SRP. The cycle of life of the products also vary since if the product is good, it will stay in the brochure, but if the product is bad, it will removed.
On the other hand, Scam MLMs will either ask you to put your money blindly and you won't do any work, or will force you to buy their products in bulk "as package" which you will then force sell to someone else (mostly products that are not profitable or products that were extremely overpriced).

 

[sopie0426]

@kenbrace In short, there should be at least an intrinsic value offered.

 

[davidcapp]

@dsweats81 EC charges 8,999 for a person to start their online accounts. It shows that all we need to do is set appointments for clients in Papua New Guinea, South Asia, and Africa using a copy-paste script. The price is apparently 999 per modules (there are a total of 9 modules). I have read multiple accounts from people who joined it and they say it's hecka shady to the point it is a scam.