To me all ponzi schemes are scams and i believe most people will agree with me here. It doesn't matter if they are initially paying, they will eventually exit when newcomers to bringing in money and the last people who contributed or bought some of their "earning plans" will end up in loses.

My advice is as soon as you see a ponzi business model, avoid it at all costs. Don't even waste your precious time finding out who the owners are or the business licenses they have.