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Level 4 · ages 16–18OECD FLSafety

Sophisticated scams: Ponzi, crypto

🎯 Goal: Recognize sophisticated tricks: steady high guaranteed returns, recruitment pressure, vague crypto projects, FOMO pressure.
Investment scams are increasingly slick (nice sites, celebrity promos). Red flags: steady high "guaranteed" returns, recruit pressure, opaque earnings, urgency.

Let’s explore

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Promising high, identical monthly returns is unrealistic → a red flag.
🏗️
Ponzi: later money pays earlier people, no real value → it collapses.
🪙
"Crypto that doubles fast", celebrity PR ≠ safe — verify yourself.

Practice activity

🕵️ An app promises "15%/month, more bonus for more referrals" — name 2 red flags.
Worked example: The app promises 15%/month (red flag 1: unrealistic "guaranteed" return) and pays per referral (red flag 2: pyramid/Ponzi recruiting). You decline and warn friends.

Quick quiz

1. A "high, steady, guaranteed return" promise is?
→ A scam red flag
2. Ponzi takes money from?
→ Later people to pay earlier
3. Bonus per recruit is a sign of?
→ A pyramid/Ponzi
4. A celebrity promoting a project means?
→ Still verify, not a safety guarantee
5. Pressured to "invest now or miss out", you should?
→ Be wary, slow down, verify

🎯 Real-life mission

Spot two red flags of a high-return “investment” and warn a friend.
Open the interactive app →

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