High Yield Investment Program
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A High Yield Investment Program, or HYIP, is a type of investment scheme
normally offered via the Internet. HYIPs typically accept deposits as
low as $1 while promising astoundingly high returns.
Online HYIP schemes rarely last for the long term. Overwhelming number
of cases suggest that HYIPs are Ponzi schemes, in which new investors
provide the cash to pay a profit to existing investors, which they
typically then withdraw.[citation needed] This approach allows the scam
to continue as long as new investors are found and/or old investors
leave their money in the scheme, known as compounding (because even
higher profits are promised).
The introduction of e-currencies has made it possible for HYIPs to
operate on the internet and cross international boundaries, and to
accept large numbers of small investments. HYIPs usually accept deposits
by either e-currency, like e-gold, e-bullion and INTGold, or use
specialist third party payment processors like AlertPay, SolidTrustPay,
CEPTrust, TriStarMoneyChangers and StormPay. HYIPs typically offer a
significant incentive commission (for example, 9% of invested funds) for
members to attract and refer new investors.
Most HYIPs disclose little or no detail about the underlying management,
location, or other aspects of how money is to be invested, and
relatively little information (other than asserting that they do various
types of trading on various stock and other exchanges) on how they
actually generate the returns they purport. They are sometimes presented
with some form of an emotional appeal, appeals for faith, and promises
that they will help investors achieve financial freedom.
Arguably, the largest HYIP scam that has existed on the internet was
PIPS (People in Profit System or Pure Investors)[1][2]. The investment
scheme was started by Bryan Marsden in early 2004, (according to the
Wayback Machine record of http://pureinvestor.com) and spanned more than
20 countries. PIPS was investigated by Bank Negara Malaysia in 2005
which resulted in Marsden and his wife being charged in a Malaysian
court with 97 counts of money laundering involving more than RM77
million - US$20 million - (copy of New Straits Times article dated 11
Oct 2006).
Contents [hide]
1 Interest rates
2 HYIP games
3 HYIP monitors
4 HYIPs indicted or under investigation
5 See also
6 External links
Interest rates
HYIPs typically claim to offer interest rates of 1% or more per day on
invested funds; some claim to offer much higher daily rates exceeding
200% a day. Allegedly, the highest-return HYIP on record has offered
1,100% ROI in one day. Claims of astronomical returns without large
capital outlay or background information are indicative of a
Ponzi-structured HYIP program.
As a comparison with a typical 1% per day claim, Warren Buffett, one of
the world's most successful investors, made around 30% per year during
his most successful period; that is on average, less than 0.1% per day.
As the claimed returns of 1% per day are extremely unlikely to be
produced legitimately, all HYIPs are therefore likely to be Ponzi
schemes, and so most investors will in due course lose their money.
HYIPs indicted or under investigation
The following is a list of HYIP scams that are currently under
investigation or have been successfully indicted in a court of law.
12DailyPro Autosurf (United States) - US Securities & Exchange
Commission
Ginsystem Inc. (Singapore) - Commercial Affairs Department of Singapore
IT4US (United States)
OSgold (Australia) - news.com
PIPS (Malaysia) - see top of page
PlexPay (Norway) - HegnarOnline, in Norweigan
Solidinvestment (United States)
Studio Traffic / Studiopay (FBI, NYPD, United States)
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