An investigation has revealed that more than 500 Bhutanese have fallen victim to the Ponzi scheme, an online investment scam.
The Ponzi scheme lures unsuspecting victims by offering unrealistically high returns on their investments.
Initially, the investors get the promised monthly returns promptly. Encouraged, the investors mobilize more money and invest it in the scheme.
Investors are also promised higher returns if they can manage to convince other people to join the scheme.
Once an investor has ploughed in a huge amount of money, the scammers cut all contact with him, leaving him high and dry.
The Ponzi scheme has swindled more than Nu.71 million from unsuspecting Bhutanese.
Entering though Samdrupjongkhar which is close to Guwahati, a border town in the Indian town Assam, the scheme flourished in eastern Bhutan.
It slowly spread its tentacles, reaching as far as Sarpang in the South Bhutan and Wangdue in the west.
A total of 539 people in 12 districts -Tashiyangtse, Lhuentse, Monggar, Trashigang, Pemagatshel, Samdrupjongkhar, Sarpang, Zhemgang, Dagana, Chhukha, Thimphu and Wangduephodrang- have fallen victim to the scam.
