Como se combate o populismo? "Com eleições", responde Fukuyama

[nunofaustino]

Claro que não Incog... o crime é de quem promove esta artimanha...

Dou-te os meus parabéns pela luta incansável que realizáste contra este esquema piramidal. Foram centenas de post e algumas dezenas de horas que "perdeste" na luta contra o PIPS e o Bryan... gabo-te a paciência e o voluntarismo...

É estranho é a PJ n fazer nada contra as pessoas que andavam a angariar clientes portugueses para este esquema...

Um abraço
Nuno

[Incognitus]

Mas quem, nos dias de hoje com tão grande histórico de casos semelhantes e com tanta informação disponível por meios diversos, ainda é vítima de um esquema destas, merece mesmo sê-lo!

Obviamente, mesmo que penses assim - e eu em parte concordo - isso não desculpa quem promove os esquemas.

[Rics]

Bem, eu vou ser um pouco frio no que vou dizer...

Mas quem, nos dias de hoje com tão grande histórico de casos semelhantes e com tanta informação disponível por meios diversos, ainda é vítima de um esquema destas, merece mesmo sê-lo!


Cumprimentos,
Rics

[Incognitus]

Também existem centenas fora dela, mas são mais difíceis de conhecer. Passam de pessoa para pessoa.

[Alvo Branco]

[quote="Incognitus"][quote]p.s.

Neste momento, existem centenas de esquemas daqueles na net. Apelidados "HYIP's" (High Yield Investment Programs). Todos são fraudes.

Disse bem, NA NET.

[Incognitus]

p.s.
O que me espanta é que ainda haja quem acredite em milagres ! Ou que quem entre num esquema desses pense sempre que os próximos é que vão ser os otários ...

Neste momento, existem centenas de esquemas daqueles na net. Apelidados "HYIP's" (High Yield Investment Programs). Todos são fraudes.

Claro, o PIPS era o maior (ou perto).

[Recolector]

O alerta lançado no www.******.com pode muito bem ter evitado prejuizos irrecuperáveis a muita gente

Eis um bom exemplo de serviço público


Cumprimentos
Recolector


p.s.
O que me espanta é que ainda haja quem acredite em milagres ! Ou que quem entre num esquema desses pense sempre que os próximos é que vão ser os otários ...

[Incognitus]

pvk, era semelhante à Dona Branca.

Recebiam dinheiro dos membros, teoricamente como um empréstimo, e pagavam 2% ao dia sobre esse dinheiro (existem muitos outros pormenores, mas isso é o essencial).

Diziam que investiam nos mercados, e em empresas reais, etc, etc.

Mas a verdade nua e crua é que era apenas um esquema de Ponzi, uma Dona Branca. Os juros de que recebia eram pagos a partir do capital de quem entrava.

Inclusive estavam presentes em Portugal, existia um www.pipsportugal.com, mas agora redireccionaram esse site para o Google! ehehe ... está tudo em fuga. Pena que as autoridades e justiça não funcionem.

[pvk]

Incognitus, podias explicar com funcionava o esquema?

pvk.

[azarento]

Incognitus, parabéns por terem desmascarado essa tramoia e muitos parabéns também pelo teu site!
Um abraço!

[Incognitus]

Vários meses após o ******.com ter exposto a fraude PIPS a nível mundial, mas com os pagamentos a durarem apenas mais um mês e meio depois dessa exposição (dentro da expectativa de duração de poucas semanas a uma ano), a fraude PIPS estoirou de vez com a debandada geral dos seus organizadores. Agora, resta saber se a polícia Malásia vai actuar e prender Bryan Marsden ...

Note-se que alguns dos pioneiros desta fraude são portugueses. Provavelmente, não pagarão pela sua participação. Existem centenas de vítimas portuguesas, e estimam-se em centenas de milhar a nível mundial.

Fica uma carta curiosa de um dos insiders:

Hello All,

It is with a heavy heart, that I have to announce that I have resigned from Pips yesterday, effective immediately. As many of you know, Gary Nichol, the General Manager has also resigned and will be leaving tomorrow (Saturday).

As all of you are aware I have been a staunch supporter and have always advocated and encouraged support for the Program and for Bryan. I have now concluded that my faith in Bryan and Sharon Marsden, has been misplaced.

I have been at pains, wanting to report regular updates to you as I know that many of you have been waiting very patiently to hear from me and I also know that many of you took great heart (as I did) by my appointment to the Trust Manager's position. Unfortunately, for the last 2 months, I have been unable to find anything good to report.

During my short time with Pips, I have encountered a fundamental difference of opinion with the decisions taken by Bryan and Sharon. The direction they have taken the program is a one way road to disaster. The management decisions nothing short of mystifying and dumbfounding.

During my stay at Pips, I have continuously pushed for one thing.. that the business of Pips is to pay returns to members and that there is no higher priority or indeed should be no OTHER priority than that. My urgings have fallen on deaf ears, as indeed has most of the advice and counsel that I have attempted to give Bryan and Sharon.

At the present time, there are two payment platforms available to pay money to members, but these are not being funded. Instead, whatever money is available is being poured into the financial dinosaur called Pips Fashions, which seems to enjoy a virtually unlimited budget to fund its financially burdensome projects. Pips Fashions was ill conceived in the beginning and needs to be killed off as quickly as possible. It is an unmitigated disaster and one can only wonder what might have been if that money had been invested wisely into programs that we all believed were in place. Money has also been poured into the purchase of more derelict vacant real estate in the commercial Ghost town called Nilai. Bryan and Sharon are spending freely on the construction of new restaurants (3 of them) with plans for at least three more to commence in the immediate future and many others after that, all of which will become further liabilities as even the Bistro continues to be. I understand that they have purchased approximately 15 commercial property lots and 3 houses and that the plans are to continue to acquire more of this same real estate. While this is going on members continue to wait, perplexed, angry and frustrated as I am, why they are being passed over, while Sharon and Bryan continue to amass a personal fortune.

This money should have been placed in investments for the benefit of members. The real estate should be sold immediately. All restaurants and businesses closed down. They are all liabilities and draining available funds. Efforts should be concentrated on the Bistro and getting the franchising operations completed. One thing at a time please Bryan or at least get one business in profit before embarking on more of the same. (Did I mention someone should kill Pips Fashions. That and the obsession with new restaurants has become the scourge of the program). Million of dollars has been diverted from what could have been very valuable investments for members as was wanted by Gary. Let’s get back to investing funds for members and paying returns, whatever they are.

When pressed for any answers, Bryan simply says that these restaurants are a 'different part of Pips', which I take to mean, has nothing to do with members.

I have become increasingly concerned at what I regard to be Bizarre decisions being taken by both Bryan and Sharon and their seemingly total disregard for members suffering and anxiety. Sharon is an integral part of the company. She is not in the background as many think. She is a very active director and officer of Pips group of companies with daily involvement and she exerts great influence and forceful viewpoints on the operation and direction of the program.

I could not condone my misgivings any longer and after expressing my views forthrightly to Bryan, I left the offices of Pips yesterday morning.

It is my belief that the program is suffering fatal problems from which it cannot recover. I cannot find any evidence of any viable or relevant business or investment strategy that would have any prospect of returning anything of significance to members; far less 2%. There is no transparency, everything is hidden even from Gary and there is no evidence of the most basic accounting procedures or corporate procedures. Bryan's 'Genie in the bottle' is dead, not that it ever existed. There is also no evidence of any investments in the last 18 months that have been in place that would be of any benefit to members, with the possible exception of Pips Premiere, which is still some considerable time away from producing any meaningful returns for members. Bryan has repeatedly told us all in public meetings that investments are in place earning much more than the 2% he pays to us. This appears to be an 'error'.

From the first day I arrived at Pips, I recognised the problems caused by poor decisions and gross mismanagement. It was my belief that those problems could be solved. It would require huge changes, an abandonment of the 2% return (which was never going to be possible from day one), a freezing of accounts and closure of the program to any new members, until a proper budget and accounting could be prepared. I gave Bryan repeated reports, memos and advices setting out what I believed was necessary to solve the problems. Unfortunately, none of my advices on matters of substance were accepted. To be fair to Bryan, he never asked for my opinion or any advice and I was told on a number of occasions that this was not what I was employed to do and to return to my little sandbox and play with the toys that I was given.

Pips has amongst its membership a very capable corporate 'trouble shooter' from Great Britain, whom was known to Bryan and myself. I was instructed to bring this man to Malaysia to help sort out the problems of the program and to assist in it's restructure. That alone gave me great heart that things might be about to improve. Since arriving, Bryan has stone-walled him refusing to provide this very valuable professional with even the most basic company documents or any relevant information (which it appears does not exist). When asked about cash flow, this man was told it was all in his (Bryan's) and Sharon's head. This of course presents as a total absurdity to professional people like myself and the corporate wizard. There appears to be no accounts at all in relation to the program, corporate governance, legal and regulatory compliance is completely ignored and it is little wonder we find ourselves in financial and regulatory crisis. There are currently 6 Cease & Desist orders filed against the program from Securities regulators. 5 in the U.S. States and One in the Netherlands and many more are being processed. We are all aware that ASIC is on the hunt as well, probably with just cause. Little or nothing has been done in relation to these orders, despite my urgent advices. The Orders officially label the Pips program a ‘Ponzi’ scheme and I can find no evidence to dispute this except a Ponzi scheme pays money to members from Deposits. In this case, most of the deposits seem to go to fund ‘other things’ and members are left in the cold, again against my urgent advices.

I am concerned that attempts may be made to reverse all Picpay payments and that the closure of Picpay is on the agenda. It is also my opinion that any attempt to do so is illegal. Once the money is paid into Picpay, it is the member's money and Picpay is like a bank holding money in your account. The money cannot be touched without your authority. Anyone with money in Picpay should immediately take a copy of their account profile. Picpay is a company registered in Malaysia and as such is responsible to follow Malaysian law which is of substance. Bryan and Sharon will be accountable for any irregularities in relation to your account or the running of Picpay. Picpay has a contractual obligation to pay your money to you.

It is my belief that the recent reversal of merchant and member accounts in Picpay represents unlawful conduct. (I was not aware of this action until very recently). I have advised Bryan and the relevant staff of their legal obligations. I advise every member to protect themselves by taking copies of their Picpay and Pips accounts and to make the strongest objection to any unauthorised interference in relation to those accounts.

I can attest that Gary Nichol is not involved in any dishonesty or unpleasantness. He is very despondent about the total disregard for members exhibited by Bryan and Sharon and that is not the least of his reasons for leaving Pips. His concern and commitment to members is as fierce as ever and he and I shall continue to do what we can to ensure members are compensated as best as possible. There are still some things that we can achieve and we shall continue to press for some change of heart and direction from Bryan and Sharon. Indeed I hope this post will have a 'sobering effect' and present possibility for reassessment. Even knowing all that I do, I still have trouble classifying Bryan as a 'bad' person. He is extremely intelligent and has many fine qualities. I believe he is somewhat misguided and that he has lost his way. I truly hope that this report will serve to give him reason for self analysis and to bring about necessary changes. I believe he is capable of doing so, if he was to accept the right advice and counsel.

There is so much more to tell, but I think you get the gist of my findings. To say I'm devastated would be an understatement. I went to Malaysia to become part of something sensational, instead I arrived to find myself in the middle of a Ponzi scam in its death throes.

Bryan told me yesterday he has something up his sleeve. I'm past listening to repeated promises and chasing the forever 'dangling carrot', but for all the members’ sake, I hope it is something good. It cannot save the program, but it will hopefully save people from losing money. I do believe Bryan has a desire and a commitment to at least paying people to the extent that they will be refunded their money if not managing some profit.

Regardless of the outcome, I am grateful to Bryan for a number of things. Through Pips I have made so many good friends and come across many things that I would not have ever seen or encountered. I am now on the threshold of something rather momentous and awe inspiring, as a direct result of the contacts I have made through this program. I have had a holiday with luxury, the likes of which I've never experienced before and enjoyed living a dream called hope. The dream may be somewhat in tatters, but there is much to reflect upon and to be thankful for. Bryan gave us so much and I invite members, during the period of despair and disappointment to have some regard to the good things and to at least bring some balance into the argument. "

My only comment is that it rings true - I have heard bits and pieces of this picture over the last month or so and this ties a lot of it together. I have no vested interest in whether you believe this information or not, and it is presented only in the absence of anything official coming out of Nilai.

Best regards, Andrew