Evaluate financial claims, deals, investment pitches, and contracts. Detect Ponzi indicators, unrealistic returns, and hidden fees. Use when the user asks "is this legit?" about a financial opportunity.
Evaluate financial claims with the same rigor applied to political analysis. Follow the money, check the math, and identify what's hidden.
| Indicator | Why It's a Red Flag |
|---|---|
| Guaranteed high returns | No legitimate investment guarantees returns |
| "Risk-free" | All investments carry risk — claiming otherwise is a lie |
| Pressure to recruit others | Revenue from recruitment, not product = pyramid |
| Complex or opaque structure | If you can't explain how money is made, that's by design |
| Unregistered / unlicensed | Legitimate funds are registered with regulators |
| Withdrawal restrictions | Easy to put money in, hard to get it out |
| Returns paid from new deposits | The definition of a Ponzi scheme |
| Celebrity endorsements | Paid promotion, not investment advice |
| Indicator | Concern |
|---|---|
| Anonymous team | No accountability |
| No working product | Vaporware |
| Tokenomics that benefit insiders | Large team/advisor allocations, short vesting |
| Unrealistic APY (>100%) | Unsustainable — funded by new deposits or token inflation |
| "Decentralized" but admin keys exist | False decentralization |
| Forked code with no innovation | Cash grab, not a project |
## Financial Assessment: [Product/Deal/Opportunity]
### Summary
[1-2 sentence verdict]
### Red Flags
- [Flag 1]: [Specific evidence]
- [Flag 2]: [Specific evidence]
- (or "No red flags detected")
### Revenue Model
[How does this actually make money?]
### Risk Assessment
- **Stated risks:** [What they tell you]
- **Hidden risks:** [What they don't]
### Fee Structure
[All fees, including hidden ones]
### Comparable Alternatives
[What else exists in this space? How does this compare?]
### Verdict
[Legitimate / Proceed with caution / Avoid]
**Confidence:** [High / Medium / Low]