Should there be public awareness campaigns to warn new users about Ponzi schemes

[The Sceptical Chymist]

Here's an idea:  Why don't we nuke sections on the forum where it's necessary to warn people away from?  Makes sense, doesn't it?

[bitbaby]

From my experience of all the time spent on this forum is very few users pay attention to what you say, mostly they do what they feel like, they're always warned about dangers of storing bitcoins in web wallets, not using escrow, using paypal and staying away from Ponzi schemes but did that ever made any difference? You can go ahead and try OP but expect very little/no change.

[Josef27]

It probably won't do much good. However I still think it's better to put a SURGEONS GENERAL PONZI WARNING  on things that need it. Most people still smoke with such warnings, but when they die of lung cancer. They can't blame anyone else, but themselves.

[gentlemand]

highlight it by all means but the staggering blindness to the achingly obvious isn't going away any time soon. it does make you wonder about human nature sometimes.

[Evildrum]

Trains coming towards the tracks and the gates go down to block traffic,some yahoo decides he can navigate through the gates and make it across. Do you need to put up more warning for people like that or just realize that no matter how many restrictions you make their will be dumb people that are suckers!

Its getting old relying on more warnings because some people think these people need more alerts to the issue.

Guy pulls over to get serviced by a hooker,not realizing said hooker is a dude. Does he need a warning?

[bitcoineverything]

Not everything in the web are reliable even if you make random public awareness about Ponzi. So, for me, let beginners learn their thing.  

[mki8]

if you start telling newbies about ponzis
people may start to think thats all btc is used for, scams

instead inform newbies, btc is like any other currency, so protect it like you would money.

anything else they need to use their own commen sense

[Mumbeeptind1963]

Many beginners into the bitcoin world have probably "invested" in ponzi sites and lost some coins in the process.

How should veteran bitcoin users in the community do their part to alert beginners about ponzis?

Im veteran in my group in facebook and advicing that dont invest in ponzi sites but they dont follow, they all investing now in many different ponzi and hoping that their bitcoin will double. So Now i dont want to warn them because they didnt follow. When Im newbie i invested also there and i dont know what is ponzi, hyip site and now i know what is it after i lose many bitcoin.

[Evildrum]

if you start telling newbies about ponzis
people may start to think thats all btc is used for, scams

instead inform newbies, btc is like any other currency, so protect it like you would money.

anything else they need to use their own commen sense

Bullshit.

If you believe that then you believe bitcoin is rife with pedophiles and terrorists. You can not control image,it is something that comes about naturally or is not authentic. So shutting down ponzis because you are afraid it will reflect poorly is a slippery slope into more restrictions and control over the members in how they act and what they do. That is not bitcoin.

[pooya87]

i don't think it would be effective at all. because those who are investing in Ponzi schemes are not really thinking clearly and are mostly delusional so even if there is someone telling them it is a scam and stay away they wouldn't listen.
it is really not that hard to know when a site tells you "give me your bitcoin and i will pay you back twice in 24 hour" there is something shady going on about it.

[sbtctalk]

Apparently, there's quite a small effort put into this. We definitely should have a campaign that helps inform the beginners to not invest in ponzi sites. Maybe we should make a pinned thread here in the forum on the list of possible ponzis. That's probably a good start.

This is a good start.  But requires more consensus from community members.

Bitcoins have come a long way. Time for a image cleanup

[Nowl1935]

The main target of ponzi sites are the newbies that has lack of knowledge about bitcoin, We need a campaign that creates an idea on how to invest properly, to scammers not able to take others bitcoins

[franky1]

idea for main content of a scam warning pinned post

"if you dont know enough about the other person, to slap them with a wet fish should they do you wrong.. dont give them the funds upfront"

"there is no such thing as guaranteed returns, doubling bitcoin. dont be sucked into a scam"

"once you hand the funds over and they have confirmed... there is no way to get them back"

[mkc]

Been there done that. I was foolish enough investing in 3 high yields and lost all.
I would really appreciate if some one warned me before.

All 3 hyi has review in this forum ...

[Herbert2020]

that would be great, although i am a little bit skeptical about how effective it can really be. but it is a good effort and even if it saves one person from losing his money on these kinds of scam that would be a great achievement.

[sbtctalk]

But I foresee there will be resistance to raise the ills of bitcoin ponzis.

Bitcoin can be adopted for the masses but some ponzi operators are likely to have links with the underworld.

[arwin100]

Apparently, there's quite a small effort put into this. We definitely should have a campaign that helps inform the beginners to not invest in ponzi sites. Maybe we should make a pinned thread here in the forum on the list of possible ponzis. That's probably a good start.

This is a good start.  But requires more consensus from community members.

Bitcoins have come a long way. Time for a image cleanup

Simple thread might  be helpful for furom users to raise some awareness to people who see in the threads here but the truth here mostly ponzi scheme sites are flowing in crypto related fb groups evthothough we rise awareness here we cant do nothing if the ponzi scam site are spreading in fb groups and mostly of them dont post in bitcointalk because many people here is already aware for the help of those some furom busters in investors-games section its very helpful to the furom members to save their money.

[lemipawa]

There were attempts before of a thread created by some scam buster wannabe that adds and update the thread with sites that turned scam but most of them don't last. Some can stay updating the thread 2-3 months then gone. Thread's like that can surely help as long as the OP will be faur in judging which one is scam and which one is not.

[sbtctalk]

Apparently, there's quite a small effort put into this. We definitely should have a campaign that helps inform the beginners to not invest in ponzi sites. Maybe we should make a pinned thread here in the forum on the list of possible ponzis. That's probably a good start.

This is a good start.  But requires more consensus from community members.

Bitcoins have come a long way. Time for a image cleanup

Simple thread might  be helpful for furom users to raise some awareness to people who see in the threads here but the truth here mostly ponzi scheme sites are flowing in crypto related fb groups evthothough we rise awareness here we cant do nothing if the ponzi scam site are spreading in fb groups and mostly of them dont post in bitcointalk because many people here is already aware for the help of those some furom busters in investors-games section its very helpful to the furom members to save their money.

There were attempts before of a thread created by some scam buster wannabe that adds and update the thread with sites that turned scam but most of them don't last. Some can stay updating the thread 2-3 months then gone. Thread's like that can surely help as long as the OP will be faur in judging which one is scam and which one is not.

I think we need some influential, fair and reputable member in this forum to spearhead this public awareness campaign.

On another level, perhaps a semi-formal working committee can be formed to lead this.

[sbtctalk]

There are members who have been in this forum for a period of time but yet could not distinguish ponzis! Perhaps veteran members here could discuss how more could be done.