After
dabbling in cryptos for over a decade I have come to the conclusion
that all cryptos are a scam. That is not to say you can't make money
from them, but most people don't.
They are a bit like a game of
Monopoly, and nobody is going to come along and tell you about an
"investment opportunity". The objective is simply to take all your
money.
Earlier this year at our local Voices For Freedom (VFF) group meet up, a couple of new guys arrived. and one of them could really talk.
Although
I was very suspicious, the talking guy, whose name was Hohepa Patea,
did have a good knowledge of a lot of "conspiracies" and was an
entertaining speaker. I listened to what he had to say, but to tell the
truth I wouldn't have invested one dollar with him.
This was months ago and I had sort of forgotten about the whole thing, until I read this report that a friend sent me.
We all tend to think the crypto scams are mostly going on overseas, but this scam is a beauty right here in little New Zealand.
The original article by Danny de Hek is excellent and I recommend reading it and watching his video. The following is just a copy of most of the text:
The scam formerly known as UICEX and CRGLOBAL is still running, despite countless warnings.
They’ve rebranded yet again — this time as Signal Raiders, using a fresh domain: signalraiders.com.
With shiny new graphics and big promises of a “99.6% success rate,” this is just another multi-level crypto trading Ponzi scheme in disguise. This time, it’s being heavily promoted by Hohepa Patea, based in Maungaraki Lower Hutt, Wellington 5010, who openly claims to have quit his job to push this full-time.
But here’s the good news: one of our Avengers got a victim out – and in doing so, uncovered some of the psychological games these scammers use to keep people trapped.
Let’s break it down.
The Original Scam: UICEX / CRGLOBAL
This is the same team that operated under UICEX.com, CR Wealth, and CR Investment Group, running BonChat Telegram groups, fake binary trading signals, and staged Zoom calls to lure in everyday investors.
Key red flags from UICEX included:
- Guaranteed returns on crypto signals
- Rigged “order code” trading using copy-paste instructions (not real trading)
- MLM-style rank bonuses and commissions up to 9 levels deep
- Fake certificates from British Columbia and Colorado (we’ll get to that)
- Surveillance-style tools: using BonChat to monitor members, block screenshots, and block users from withdrawing unless they gave a “reason”
Their aggressive pressure tactics, including minimum $1,000 USDT deposits and false claims of Financial Markets Authority (FMA) approval, caught the attention of multiple watchdogs — but the scam kept morphing.
Now they’re back with a new website and slightly upgraded branding.
Relevant FMA Warning:
In fact, the FMA (Financial Markets Authority) has recently published an updated warning about WhatsApp-based investment scams that mirror Signal Raiders exactly. The advisory, last updated 29 August 2025, describes:
- Fake trading “mentors” in Telegram/WhatsApp groups
- Reward-based recruitment of friends and family
- Promises of guaranteed returns via “trading signals”
- Remote access apps that steal victims’ personal and financial data
- Leaderboards and bonus “prizes” used as bait
- And a familiar cast of characters: the “Professor,” “Coach,” or “Advisor”
The FMA warns that these scams are linked to pyramid selling and remote-access spyware, and urges the public to report any such activity. That’s exactly what we’re seeing here.
The New Rebrand: Signal Raiders
The scammers are now operating under:
- signalraiders.com (removed by the Avengers on 25 October 2025)
- admin@signalraiders.com
- BonChat ID ANZ99 (used to onboard new victims)
The new homepage promises:
- “Receive BTC/USDT signals with a 99.6% success rate”
- “Risk-Free Trades 100% guaranteed by CR Investments Group”
- “Trade with $100–$5,000. Deposit $300+ to unlock bonus trading capital.”
They promote twice-daily trades on UICEX with “up to 5 phases per signal,” and instruct people to paste order codes into their app to “follow signals.”
Nothing has changed — it’s still the same fake trading setup, designed to look like activity while they collect deposits.
Psychological Manipulation & Victim Control
Here’s where it gets dark.
We now have screenshots from a real victim who tried to leave the platform. What happened next was textbook scam psychology:
“You are one of our family. Please don’t make a decision you will regret. Just withdraw some — not all — and tell others it was your own choice. Help us continue the project.”
They begged the victim not to withdraw all their funds, implying they’d only be allowed to leave if they left money behind.
They even fabricated a “reason” for withdrawal the victim had to submit — such as “I’m renovating a house” — to be approved. Victims who didn’t provide a reason or tried to speak out were muted or removed from BonChat.
This cult-like emotional manipulation is key to how they retain members:
- Guilt-tripping: “Don’t betray the group”
- Gaslighting: “The haters just don’t understand our vision”
- False scarcity: “We’re launching soon — that will prove all the doubters wrong”
- Reputation management: “Say you chose to leave, not that the platform failed”
If this reminds you of Hyperverse, Validus, or any of the major MLM scams — that’s because it’s the same playbook.
MLM Compensation Plan = Obvious Ponzi Structure
Let’s be very clear: this is a multi-level crypto scam using a “signals” story as the product front.
Here’s what they promise:
- Team commissions from Level 1 to Level 9
- Bonuses for bringing in new people
- Extra signal rewards if your referrals invest more than $500 USDT
- Fake “promotion rewards” up to 150,000 USDT
- “Completion bonuses” for getting 5 people to fund accounts
This is a textbook MLM Ponzi setup, with all the signs:
- Incentivising constant recruitment
- “Team construction” = fake network growth
- Fixed deposits = no real investment activity
- “Risk-free signals” = no real trading strategy
Fake Incorporation Documents
To look legitimate, the scammers show off flashy certificates.
- A British Columbia registration (dated March 20, 2025) for UIC Exchange Limited
- A Colorado share certificate showing 50 million shares issued to “Taylor Fox” — a name that appears nowhere else
But these registrations mean nothing. Anyone can register a business in BC or Colorado — it doesn’t mean they’re licensed to handle financial products or run a crypto exchange.
This is a common MLM scam tactic: register a shell company, then parade the paperwork to appear trustworthy.
Victim Surveillance via BonChat
The BonChat group plays a central role in controlling participants:
- You must join via referral ID (e.g. ANZ99)
- They block screenshots of messages
- They pressure users to post “thank-you” videos if they receive a withdrawal or prize
- If you say anything negative, you’re banned or muted
They offer fake prize draws (microwaves, lunch vouchers, 30 USDT) to keep people engaged — but only if they keep investing or bringing others in.
The Exit Trap: Rewards, Reinvestment, and False Hope
Their staged presentations show:
- “Transaction Planning” with 81X returns
- Payouts listed in multiple “phases” that require reinvestment
- Pressure to “only withdraw partial profits”
It’s designed so you never fully withdraw your principal. You’re always cycling into the next phase — until the rug is pulled.
The Escape: One Victim Gets Out
This time, one of our trusted Avengers helped a victim escape. After carefully guiding them through the withdrawal process (including creating a fake reason for leaving), the victim was finally able to get most of their funds out.
They left a small balance behind — a necessary “peace offering” to exit the platform.
This is a rare success story — and a reminder that community resistance works.
We’ve now documented:
- The latest domain: signalraiders.com
- The BonChat invitation method
- The fake incorporation trail
- The full MLM commission structure
- And the emotional control tactics they use
Stay Vigilant – They’ll Rebrand Again
These scammers switch domains, rename their groups, and pretend it’s a “new project” every time the heat rises.
We’ve seen this same team cycle through:
- UICEX
- CRGLOBAL
- CR Wealth
- Signal Raiders
… and more will follow.
We’re tracking their digital footprint, exposing their lies, and helping victims escape when we can.
If you were targeted, manipulated, or pressured to deposit — you’re not alone. Contact us via dehek.com/contact and we’ll help you document what happened.
Name the scam.
Expose the team.
Warn the next victim.
Flagged Domains Previously Used in This Scam
The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) in New Zealand has identified and listed hundreds of domain names previously used to promote this ongoing investment scam. While most of these domains have since been shut down, new ones are created regularly as part of an aggressive effort to stay ahead of regulators and continue defrauding unsuspecting investors.
This is not a one-off scam — it’s an industrial-scale operation using throwaway domains, offshore registration, and fake trading platforms.
UPDATE: Legal Threat Issued by Andrew Davis of Treadwells Law
Shortly after this investigation was published, I received a formal legal letter from Andrew Davis, a partner at Treadwells Law, acting on behalf of Hohepa Patea.
For transparency, the full letter can be viewed here: [PDF: Letter from Andrew Davis]
The letter contains several factual inaccuracies about my work and makes a number of claims that are easily disproven by verifiable evidence.
One statement in particular must be addressed directly. Mr Davis wrote:
“Furthermore, you have mocked and mispronounced Mr Patea’s Māori name in a way which is unquestionably racially offensive and disrespectful.”
This allegation is completely unfounded.
As someone with dyslexia, occasional mispronunciation is a well-documented neurological difficulty — not an act of racism, malice, or disrespect.
There
is no legal or ethical requirement in New Zealand for journalists to
pronounce names perfectly, and the accusation trivialises genuine issues
of racism by weaponising a disability as a rhetorical tool.
For clarity:
- I do not have a Facebook account, despite Mr Davis alleging I posted there.
- No podcast episode exists on this subject, despite his suggestion otherwise.
- The investigation is based entirely on open-source intelligence, recorded material, and first-hand victim evidence.
What the letter does not address is far more telling:
- It does not dispute the factual accuracy of the FMA’s official scam warning.
- It does not challenge any of the documented evidence of recruitment pressure, withdrawal issues, or deceptive behaviour.
- It does not provide any explanation for why Mr Patea is promoting a scheme that matches exactly the scam profile described by the FMA.
Here again is the relevant FMA warning, which outlines the same operation Mr Patea is promoting:
FMA Warning – “TXEX / WhatsApp Educational & Investment Platform Scam”
This is an edited version of a post from www.dehek.com
