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Belgian regulator flags potentially fraudulent crypto-trading platforms after blacklisting 120 websites

Belgian regulator flags potentially fraudulent crypto-trading platforms after blacklisting 120 websites

The Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority [FSMA] identified seven new cryptocurrency trading websites in Belgium which could potentially be fraudulent. The financial authority admitted to receiving complaints from Belgian consumers who had invested in digital assets through these platforms.

The regulator stated,

“The cryptocurrency fraud continues making victims in Belgium. Hence, the FSMA repeats its warning against the fraudsters behind those platforms who are using cryptocurrencies to swindle consumers.”

One hundred twenty websites, including many new ones, were deemed as malicious entities in an official statement released by the FSMA. The following were the newly identified suspicious websites cited by the watchdogs,

  • www.bearsmarkets.com
  • www.btckingdom.com
  • www.directco-invest.com
  • www.maisonducoins.net
  • www.novoplacement.com
  • www.ripae-homine.com
  • www.tribelylimited.com

According to the findings of the FSMA, these platforms offer its customers investments which are “secure, easy and very lucrative.” The report said that these malicious sites lured customers by posing as specialists in managing their investments. Following this, the users on such platforms were assured that their funds can be withdrawn at any time and that they were “guaranteed.” In the end however, the victims were left in a position where they were unable to recover the invested amount in any manner.

The regulator also clarified that the warning list did not contain crypto-platforms operating unlawfully in the country.

As new complaints continued to pour in, the list was updated to list 120 websites over the previous 113 that the watchdogs had previously revealed. In December 2018, FSMA outlined 133 potential scamming trading portals. Additionally, the FPS Economy, in collaboration with the FSMA, launched a website to create awareness about the risks associated with cryptocurrency trading in June 2018.

The post Belgian regulator flags potentially fraudulent crypto-trading platforms after blacklisting 120 websites appeared first on AMBCrypto.

Published at Sat, 06 Apr 2019 06:56:37 +0000

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Mining Max Pyramid Scheme Comes Crashing Down

The US-based mining platform, who cheated thousands of investors out of millions of dollars, now has to answer for their crimes after they were caught in South Korea.


The crypto industry has had its fair share of negative press over the years. However, its allure cannot be ignored. The fact that it continues to grow in price and popularity makes people want it even more. Based on its upward trajectory, who wouldn’t want a piece of bitcoin?

Money to Be Made From Mining

About 18,000 investors from over 54 countries turned to the Mining Max platform to help them capitalize on the crypto industry. The benefits they promised didn’t just stop at bitcoin though. According to the International Business Times, their high-performing mining farm in Seoul mined cryptocurrencies from different blockchains, supposedly giving these investors the option of putting their money on currencies that would offer higher returns.

About 14,000 investors are from South Korea. A total of 2,600 is from the US, 600 are from China and the rest are from Japan and other countries.

Classic Pyramid Scheme

Classic Pyramid Scheme

Stay Safe Online did a review article in June this year that not only detailed their tiered ROI structure but also raised the question of whether or not Mining Max was a scam.

Even though they promised these high returns based on their mining activities, the platform’s money was actually made through a pyramid scheme. Users would have to pay to become members and then were compensated for recruiting new business.

The cracks began to show when their mining endeavors failed to make enough money to pay their lower-level investors. According to Yonhap News Agency, those higher up on the food chain were paid with funds obtained through the scam, in addition to certain expensive items.

Fraud, Interpol, and a Cool $250 Million

Fraud, Interpol, and a Cool $250 Million

A total of 21 suspects were charged with fraud and violating South Korea’s law on door-to-door sales. Three other people with ties to the company, including Korean singer Park Jung-Woon, were charged with embezzlement but were not held.

Another seven co-conspirators, including Mining Max chairman, Daniel Park, its vice chairman and high-level investors have gone into hiding, but have been placed on one of Interpol’s wanted lists.

According to Yonhap, investors were scammed out of approximately $250 million, of which $80 million was spent on mining hardware. About $110 million is probably sitting in offshore accounts somewhere, while the remaining money was used to pay high-level investors, and of course, to line the pockets of the platform’s management team.

Do you think that we’ll be seeing more of these kinds of schemes as cryptocurrencies become more popular? Let us know in the comments below!


Images courtesy of AFP, Shutterstock

The post Mining Max Pyramid Scheme Comes Crashing Down appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.