Greed main reason for people falling prey to Ponzi schemes: survey

Bangkok University Research Centre conducted a survey of public opinion on "Ponzi schemes: what do Thai people get from the news" by collecting data from 1,197 people nationwide.
The survey found the great majority of people -- 95.9 per cent -- invested in Ponzi schemes that involved oil, gold, and foreign currency. About 53 per cent chose Ponzi schemes involved in the multi-level marketing business and 50 per cent found Ponzi schemes online.
Commenting on the factors that led to people falling for pyramid schemes, the survey showed that in 47.7 per cent of cases, it was motivated by greed. Some 28.6 were lured by promises of higher returns than normal and some 10 per cent wanted quick results.
When asked, "What were the lessons for Thai society from Ponzi schemes?"40.7 per cent of respondents said that many people fall for them because they want high returns. Around 21 per cent indicated that society lacked knowledge about tricks in the investment process and some 17.1 per cent said the current average income is not enough to live well. People need additional jobs to increase their income.
As for the ways to protect oneself from falling for Ponzi schemes, 39.8 per cent suggested that people should immediately turn down any offers to join this type of business. About 33.5 said one should remember that big gains don't come easily and 14.9 per cent urged people to study the information and consult others before deciding to invest in something.