In a swift reaction to stop the influx of Ponzi scheme promoters into the country, the Federal Government through the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has sealed up the premises of Yuan Dong (YDEC) Ponzi scheme over illegal investment operations.
This was revealed by the Head, Corporate Communications of the Commission, Mr Naif Abdussalam, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Addussalam noted that the closure was carried out to end unlawful activities of the company against unsuspecting investors.
According to Addussalam: “Investments in the scheme range from a minimum deposit of N10,000 to a maximum deposit of N240,000.
“The investment period of the scheme is pegged at a minimum of 30 working days to a maximum period of 10 months with offer of interest rates on short and medium term basis.
“The company promises a daily profit of N80 and N2,400 depending on the category of investment,” he said.
Abdussalam disclosed that the commission’s investigations showed that the company also enticed its customers with payment of bonuses should they convince more investors to invest in the scheme.
He said that the commission had established that the company’s activities also constituted a breach of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA), 2007.
“Furthermore it was discovered that contrary to their supposed existence in over 20 locations across the country, the company only has functional offices in Asaba, Kano and Abuja.
“The promoters of these illegal operations have been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force and are undergoing interrogation.
“The Commission wishes to notify the investing public that the company is not licensed to carry out investments business of any type and as such its operations are illegal,” he said.
Abdussalam advised the public to exercise due diligence and caution in the course of making investment decisions.
He said valid licence of lawful operators could be obtained on the commission’s website by members of the public to confirm the licences of firms they intend to carry investment activities with.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that other top Ponzi schemes operating in the country include; MMM, Twinkas, AlwaysPays, DonationHub, GetHelpWorldwide, and a host of others.
TheNewsGuru.com recalls that on 13 December, 2016 the Mavrodi Mundial Moneybox, popularly called MMM suspended all confirmed Mavros, otherwise known as money due for withdrawal for one month.
However, regulation bodies such the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), have continually cautioned Nigerians on the dangers of investing in Ponzi schemes saying it is illegal and lacks federal government’s approval.