Quote from: aq on August 20, 2012, 03:19:13 PM

In other words: pirate is a honest man, while you would always scam given the chance. Revealing...

Dear aq, you seem to have become unwary and abandoned your common sense.

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Because a ponzi scheme is technically insolvent, in the sense that its liabilities exceed its assets from the first day it does business,
it can only continue until the pool of gullible new investors dries up. At that point, the scheme collapses or the operator folds it up.

The collapse may be accelerated by the promoter's overuse of the money on impressive looking trappings for substantiation, or on personal extravagances, to create the appearance of prosperity.
Many first-time perpetrators of this crime become so accustomed to the lifestyle it generates that they themselves are in disbelief when it crumbles, convinced over time by their own lies.

Ponzi schemes can be applied to almost any business or investment, so when it fails, as it must, people often deem it a poor investment rather than an elaborate hoax.
To mask the fraudulent nature of the investment the scammer will often file for bankruptcy after safely hiding the money, then bemoan his failure and offer abject apologies to his loyal followers.

Generally, investors in Ponzi Schemes lose most of their invested moneys because there is no substance whatsoever to the "opportunity".
By making a lie look like a truth they cause you to become unwary and abandon your common sense.
...

Mark Fleming
Consumer Protection Lawyer

http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/InPerson/MajorPerson/ponzi.htm