Fake investment / Ponzi-pyramid scam : fonctionnement, signaux et que faire
Investment scams · alto
The offer promises high, guaranteed returns — in crypto, forex, "trading bots", cattle, a house token or "arbitrage". It often comes with testimonials, fake celebrity endorsements (sometimes deepfakes) and groups full of happy "investors".
In a pyramid, early returns are paid from new members' money, hence the recruitment bonuses. In fake-platform scams, a dashboard shows fictitious profits to encourage larger deposits.
When the victim tries to withdraw, fees, "taxes" or freezes appear. Eventually the platform vanishes. Long-con schemes ("pig butchering") start with friendship or romance before the investment pitch.
Sinais / Signs
- Guaranteed returns far above market rates.
- Bonuses for recruiting new investors.
- Company or platform not registered with the CVM (Brazil's SEC) or Central Bank.
- Payment by Pix to an individual or by crypto.
- Fees demanded to release withdrawals.
- Celebrity or expert in a video promoting the offer.
Prevenção / Prevention
- Check that the firm and person are authorised by the CVM or Central Bank (Brazil) or SEC/FINRA (US).
- Distrust any promise of guaranteed profit.
- Never invest on the advice of people you met online.
- Don't be reassured by small successful withdrawals: they are used as bait.
- Talk to someone you trust before any significant investment.
O que fazer / What to do
- Stop sending money, including "withdrawal fees".
- Call your bank right away using the official number (back of the card or in the app) and ask to block cards, accounts and access.
- File a police report (many Brazilian states accept online reports) and keep screenshots, receipts, numbers and links.
- Report to the CVM (unregistered investment offer) and keep all platform records.
- Beware of "recovery services" promising to get the money back for a fee: it's a second scam.
- In the US, report to the FBI IC3 (ic3.gov) and the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov); if your identity was misused, follow the plan at identitytheft.gov.
FAQ
How do I know if an investment is a pyramid scheme?
If returns depend on bringing in new people, are guaranteed and high, and the firm isn't registered with regulators, treat it as a pyramid.
How big is this scam in the US?
The FBI IC3 recorded US$8.65 billion in investment-fraud losses in 2025, including US$7.2 billion in crypto investment fraud (source: IC3 2025 report via Finsiders).
Do money-recovery companies work?
Anyone charging upfront to recover scam losses is almost always another scammer. Go to the police and your bank.
FBI IC3 2025 Internet Crime Report (cópia do PDF) · The Record — Cyber fraud surges to $17 billion (FBI IC3 2025) · FTC — Testimony to the Joint Economic Committee on fraud (2026) · FBI IC3 — Internet Crime Complaint Center · FTC — ReportFraud · CERT.br — Cartilha de Segurança para Internet