Barbados’ Financial Services Commission has issued a “click a button” app Ponzi fraud warning.

As per an October 29th report from Barbados Today;

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) on Monday issued an urgent warning about investing in multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes, as a scheme masquerading as a YouTube and TikTok partnership actively recruits Barbadians with promises of quick earnings.

The scheme requires participants to initially engage in a three-day probationary period after clicking a provided link, with recruiters promising earnings of $2.50 per day for clicking five times in designated spaces.

Prospective members are then encouraged to visit the St Michael office of the business and pay approximately $700 to advance to “level two”, which involves making 10 online clicks for promised earnings of US$10 ($20) daily or US$300 ($600) monthly.

This is either a “watch videos” or “social media manipulation” variant of your typical “click a button” app  Ponzi.

Recent examples of the “watch videos” variant are IGN MV and Creators Alliance. “Social media manipulation” examples are GTM, KJBT and LAM.

The FSC did not name the specific “click a button” Ponzis they are warning about. I also couldn’t find the referenced warning but did note FSC issued a general MLM investment opportunities caution on October 28th.

Since 2021 BehindMLM has documented hundreds of “click a button” app Ponzis. Most of them last a few weeks to a few months before collapsing

“Click a button” app Ponzis disappear by disabling both their websites and app. This tends to happen without notice, leaving the majority of investors with a loss (inevitable Ponzi math).

Organized crime interests from China operate scam factories behind “click a button” Ponzis from south-east Asian countries.

In September 2024, the US Department of Treasury sanctioned Cambodian politician Ly Yong Phat over ties to Chinese human trafficking scam factories.

Through various companies he owns, Phat is alleged to shelter Chinese scammers operating out of Cambodia.

Regardless of which country they operate from, the same group of Chinese scammers are believed to be behind the “click a button” app Ponzi plague.