It all started with a casual conversation in a crypto-focused Facebook group. A friendly and knowledgeable user, who appeared to have a history of helpful posts, began sharing success stories about their involvement in a crypto investment fund called AlphaCircle Ventures. They claimed it was a “private fund” that allowed members to pool resources for investing in early-stage blockchain projects. The returns sounded reasonable—10-15% quarterly—but enticing enough to draw my interest.

The user introduced me to one of the fund’s “managers” through Telegram. The manager was professional and articulate, explaining how AlphaCircle worked, its investment strategies, and even its partnerships with well-known blockchain firms. They shared PDFs detailing the fund’s structure and strategies, which seemed thorough and legitimate. After several conversations, I felt confident and decided to invest $15,000.

The first quarter passed, and I received my payout as promised, with a detailed report of the fund’s investments and performance. This bolstered my trust, and I increased my investment to $25,000. Over the next few months, everything appeared smooth. I received regular updates, and my account balance grew steadily.

Then, one day, I tried to withdraw some of my profits, only to be told that withdrawals were temporarily paused due to a “compliance review.” The manager reassured me it was routine and that my funds were safe. Weeks turned into months with no resolution. The Telegram group went silent, and eventually, the fund’s website and all communication channels vanished.

I later discovered that AlphaCircle Ventures was a meticulously crafted scam. The scammers used initial payouts to build trust and then disappeared with the bulk of their victims’ investments. The PDFs, testimonials, and professional demeanor were all part of their deception.

This experience taught me to never invest significant amounts without thorough due diligence. Verify a fund’s registration, audit reports, and partnerships through independent channels. If something relies heavily on trust and offers limited transparency, it’s a red flag.