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That is a gross understatement. Vast majority of ICOs are deliberate scams, not just they aren't building a business, they have no idea how to do it, have no relevant skills, and whole 'idea' is lunatic and would be laughed off by even a beginner angel investor if pitched to him. In many cases, an idea is also technically unworkable due to scaling limits of blockchains used. It is just that: a scam. Not a bubble as in: 1990s tech bubble, or subprime mortgage bubble. There, you got something which didn't follow the profit curve you predicted. Here, you get nothing for your money.


A lot of the ICOs have similar looking web pages: modern bootstrap style, touting benefits which are generic benefits of any cryptocurrency, and a list of team members with PhDs and suchlike. You could write a playbook for this crap.


I have been invited to act as a fake cofounder for an ICO several times...


What is the proposition you receive? What do they offer you?


A share of coins in exchange for be posing as a cofounder of their world-changing cryptocurrency, including my photos and a couple articles here and there. Told them to GTFO.


How do they manage to con so many buyers?


Because it is a new kind of scam and it is in overhyped industry.


People are greedy and credulous.




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