TL;DR

Another day, another pump-and-dump scheme. Investors betting their retirement on get-rich-quick options trading are left holding the bag after a coordinated price manipulation. The lesson? Trust no promises of ‘guaranteed returns.’

Story

Another day, another get-rich-quick scheme bites the dust. This time, it’s the wild world of options trading, where naive investors are lured in by screenshots of 84.98% profits. Sounds too good to be true? It is.

The mechanics are simple, tragically so: pump and dump. Someone, likely a coordinated group, artificially inflates the price of an option (like a call option on UNH) by creating a false sense of demand. Think of it as a coordinated buying spree designed to look organic. Then, they sell at the peak, leaving unsuspecting retail investors holding the bag when the price plummets.

The human impact? John, a retiree hoping to supplement his pension, lost his life savings overnight. He saw those screenshots, the boasts of “easy money,” and threw caution to the wind. Now, he’s facing financial ruin, another casualty in the endless cycle of market manipulation. It’s the modern-day equivalent of the tulip mania, but with slicker marketing and digital platforms.

What can you learn from this? First, trust nothing you see online; screenshots are easily faked. Second, be wary of any investment promising guaranteed returns. ‣ Guaranteed returns: A blatant red flag that should cause you to flee. Think Enron or the 2008 financial crisis—those catastrophes all started with too-good-to-be-true promises. Third, diversify your portfolio. Never bet your entire savings on a single, volatile asset like an options contract.

The conclusion is a grim one: Get-rich-quick schemes always end up quick—and painful. This isn’t the casino; it’s a trap. This isn’t investing; it’s speculation dressed up as smart money. The only winners are those manipulating the market. The rest? They’re left to lick their wounds and read cautionary tales.

Advice

Never trust promises of guaranteed returns in the market. Diversify your investments, and always do your own thorough research before investing in anything.

Source

https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/1krb24h/my_first_ever_profit_8498/