New words for this lesson
Say them out loud. Then use one word in a sentence.
"Guaranteed 5% profit every week"
🤔 Take the promise seriously for a second. What would 5% every week do to €100 in one year?
Show answer
5% a week, reinvested for 52 weeks, multiplies money by about 12.6. €100 would become roughly €1,260. €1,000 would become about €12,600.
If anyone really had that, they would not need your €100 — and they would be the richest person on earth within a few years.
The maths itself is the proof: the promise is impossible.
What scams have in common
- 🚩 Guaranteed profit, or a fixed weekly return.
- 🚩 Urgency: "today only", "3 places left".
- 🚩 Secrecy: "don't tell anyone", "this is not for everyone".
- 🚩 You cannot explain where the profit comes from.
- 🚩 You get paid for bringing new people in.
- 🚩 Getting money out is suddenly difficult, or needs a "fee" first.
Money in a circle
Nobody invests anything. The organiser takes money from new people and gives a part of it to the older ones as "profit". Everyone tells their friends, because the profit looks real.
🤔 Why does a Ponzi scheme always collapse in the end?
Show answer
It needs more and more new people to pay the older ones. That cannot grow forever. When new money stops, the payments stop — and the last people lose everything.
Scam, or just a bad idea?
Decide first: 🚩 scam · 🤔 ask more questions · ✅ probably fine.
🤔 "Send me 0.1 Bitcoin and I send you 0.2 back. Celebrity giveaway!"
Show answer
🚩 Scam. Nobody doubles your money for free. Crypto payments cannot be reversed — which is exactly why scammers ask for them.
🤔 A friend offers you €50 if you let a "business partner" send money through your bank account.
Show answer
🚩 Scam — and a serious one. That is called a money mule. It is stolen money moving through your name. Say no, and tell an adult.
🤔 An app shows your "investment" growing every day, but asks for a €200 fee before you can withdraw.
Show answer
🚩 Scam. The growing number is just a screen. A fee to get your own money out is a classic sign.
🤔 A known bank offers a savings account with 2.5% interest per year.
Show answer
✅ Probably a normal offer. A realistic rate, a real company, no secrecy, no pressure. Still check: is it really that bank's website?
Being tricked is not stupid
Scams are designed by professionals to work on smart people. If it happens: stop paying immediately, keep the messages, tell an adult you trust, and contact the bank. Speed matters more than pride.
Zusatzwissen · extra knowledge
Scammers use pressure because emotions switch off careful thinking. Fear ("your account will be closed"), excitement ("you won"), and belonging ("everyone in this group is making money"). Noticing the emotion is often faster than checking the facts.