VCCP, a Ponzi scheme that promised Colombian investors easy profits by simply clicking buttons, has collapsed. Its operators have launched a new type of exit-scam, demanding fabricated "taxes" from users to supposedly release their funds.
The scheme presented itself as a social media engagement platform. Investors were told that manipulating social media content would generate significant returns. In reality, VCCP operated as a classic Ponzi, using new investors' money to pay off earlier participants.
Most "click a button" Ponzi schemes disappear overnight once they can no longer sustain payouts. The operators, often based in China, will then launch identical clone applications in new regions if the market proves lucrative. VCCP, however, has adopted a more elaborate exit strategy.
Visitors to the VCCP platform were recently met with a fabricated notice. It claimed the scheme was prohibited by Colombia's General Tax Administration. The notice stated that all members were required to pay additional "taxes" for the platform to function properly and allow withdrawals.
This tactic is a transparent attempt to fleece investors further. Ponzi schemes are illegal in Colombia, as they are worldwide. The scammers are using the false premise of tax collection to mask their outright theft.
VCCP investors are being told they must pay between 20,000 and 15.1 million Colombian Pesos (COP) to access their supposed account balances. The scam relies on the gullibility of investors, who are led to believe their funds are still held within the platform.
The fake notice insists that original account balances cannot be used for tax purposes and that normal operations will resume after payment. It even threatens account freezes and reporting to the Colombian Tax Office for those who fail to comply, affecting employment income and credit.
Any resident of Colombia could easily verify the falsity of these claims by contacting local tax authorities. However, the scammers are counting on victims of their Ponzi scheme to avoid involving law enforcement.
To add insult to injury, the VCCP scammers added a final flourish: any funds collected through this "tax" would be donated to social welfare organizations. This is pure fabrication; any additional money transferred will go directly into the pockets of the scheme's operators.
While the lifespan of these "click a button" Ponzi schemes is shrinking, often lasting only a week or two, they continue to emerge, targeting new investors in different geographical areas. ScamTelegraph has documented at least twenty-nine such schemes, including COTP, EthTRX, Yu Klik, and Leefi, which have all collapsed after defrauding investors.