| Who is behind it |
Named principals and teams. Examples include Bridgewater, Citadel, Millennium, DE Shaw, AQR, Two Sigma. Public bios, real addresses, regulated entities. |
Unknown.
Telegram handles, webmail accounts, no legal entity you can sue. No regulator, no office you can visit. |
| Regulatory status |
Registered managers with filings. Audited funds. Compliance teams. Real KYC on investors. |
Nothing.
They ask for a CIS and a passport photo and call it compliance. |
| Underwriting or risk checks |
Risk models, limits, counterparty checks, daily P&L. Prime brokers monitor exposures. Independent risk teams say no when needed. |
Zero.
No underwriting. The only test is whether they can control your SBLC. |
| Custody and cash control |
Independent administrators. Segregated client assets. Named custodians. Wires go to real banks. |
MT760 demands, crypto wallets, odd escrow. No admin, no custodian, no segregation. Your collateral vanishes. |
| Audits and track record |
Big name auditors. Years of audited returns. LP letters. Risk reports that match markets. |
Screenshots and spreadsheets. No auditor. No verified returns. Just talk about secrecy. |
| Source of returns |
Explained strategies like macro, equity long short, RV, commodities, quant. You can sanity check results. |
Magical weekly payouts. No blotter, no fills, no market linkage. Only claims. |
| Use of collateral |
Margin set by legal agreements. Collateral stays in controlled accounts with haircuts. |
They demand your SBLC, monetize it for themselves, and you keep the liability when it is called. |
| Legal docs |
PPM, LPA, ISDA, collateral schedules, side letters. Lawyers you can call. |
One page NDA, a fee letter, and a promise. Names redacted for secrecy. |
| Communications |
Investor portals, monthly letters, scheduled calls with named PMs. |
WhatsApp blasts and voice notes. No surnames. No domains. Pressure to move fast. |
| Exit and recourse |
Redemption terms, dispute clauses, courts with jurisdiction. |
No recourse. If they disappear, you are done. |