The SEC Trolled ‘Coin’ Scammers So Hard – 美国证券交易委员会如此严厉地指责“骗子”骗子

The SEC Trolled 'Coin' Scammers So Hard - 美国证券交易委员会如此严厉地指责“骗子”骗子

Jay Clayton, chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), speaks during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee hearing in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 6, 2018.
Andrew Harrer—Bloomberg/Getty Images

美国证券交易委员会主席Jay Clayton()在参议院银行、住房和城市发展委员会发表讲话。TTEE听力在华盛顿,D.C. 2018年2月6日。Andrew Harrer Bloomberg /盖蒂图片社

By

Jeff John Roberts

May 16, 2018

2018年5月16日杰夫·约翰·罗伯茨

Are you looking for a hot new investment? Well, hurry and sign up for HoweyCoins, an exciting opportunity that combines blockchain and luxury travel, and will deliver huge profits through an “Initial Coin Offering.”

The details of HoweyCoins are set out in a report on the website, and the project is being backed by a famous institution known as … the Securities and Exchange Commission.

That’s right. On Wednesday, the federal regulator raised eyebrows by putting out an unusual press release that urged investors to “Act Now!,” and publishing a mock website for HoweyCoins.

“HoweyCoins is the newest and only coin offering that captures the magic of coin trading profits AND the excitement and guaranteed returns of the travel industry,” gushes the website.

Here’s a screenshot of an early promotion offer from HoweyCoins:

The SEC Trolled 'Coin' Scammers So Hard - 美国证券交易委员会如此严厉地指责“骗子”骗子

The SEC’s new website serves to warn investors about the perils of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), which invite people to buy digital tokens that, in theory, can be used in a future online service. But in reality, many token sales—which became wildly popular last year—are no more than wild speculation and, in some cases, outright scams.

Those who clicked on the “Buy Now” button on the HoweyCoins website were greeted with a warning:

The SEC Trolled 'Coin' Scammers So Hard - 美国证券交易委员会如此严厉地指责“骗子”骗子

The stunt is a masterpiece of trolling by the regulator, which takes aim at the pie-in-the-sky language used by many ICO promoters. The SEC also chose “Blockchain Week” in New York—when cryptocurrency and blockchain enthusiasts meet up for conferences and dinners—to advertise HoweyCoins.

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Even the name is a clever act of trolling: “Howey” is a reference to a famous Supreme Court case that sets out a test for determining if an investment product is a security that must be registered. In recent months, the SEC has made clear it thinks that new digital tokens—which promoters have tried to pass off as akin to subway tokens—are clearly securities.

The SEC’s HoweyCoins stunt went over well on Twitter where legal watchers praised the agency’s wit and ingenuity

This is the SEC's cheekiest-ever press release: https://t.co/pjTzC4CFiN

— Alison Frankel (@AlisonFrankel) May 16, 2018

I don't usually endorse ICOs – but https://t.co/Rcwp9O2ciD is an intriguing one! Interesting educational initiative announced today from the SEC regarding ICOs: https://t.co/Y1HHEPwHnY #blockchain #crypto #consensus2018

— Conor O'Hanlon (@Conor0Hanlon) May 16, 2018

In a press release, the SEC noted how easy it was to whip up the fake website.

‘The SEC was able to build the HoweyCoins website in-house in very little time, which demonstrates just how easy it is for someone to create a scam opportunity.”

In December, the SEC’s newly created cyber unit filed its first charges against ICO scammers, and is currently ramping up enforcement efforts.

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The SEC Trolled 'Coin' Scammers So Hard - 美国证券交易委员会如此严厉地指责“骗子”骗子

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