AI Earn Scam Exposed: How Vietnamese Investors Lost $4M Overnight

AI Earn platform abruptly ceased operations on September 21, 2025, leaving hundreds of Hanoi investors unable to withdraw funds. Operating from Artemis Building, the AI Earn scam deleted all digital channels overnight. Victims lost millions—Ms. T deposited 258 million VND while Ms. H lost 135 million VND—after being guided by personal trainers who promised daily AI-powered profits following classic Ponzi patterns.

What Is AI Earn And How The Scam Operated

AI Earn presented itself as a platform where users could “make money with AI” by completing simple tasks or depositing funds. The platform claimed artificial intelligence identified profitable opportunities, allowing users to earn returns with minimal effort. In practice, AI Earn asked participants to deposit money or complete actions like downloading apps, sharing links, or inviting others, promising steady rewards or daily profits in exchange.

The AI Earn scam operated through sophisticated trust-building mechanisms. The platform maintained a physical representative office at 1st floor, unit T101, Artemis Building, 3 Le Trong Tan Street, Khuong Mai Ward, Hanoi. This physical presence created legitimacy illusions, as victims could visit offices and meet “personal trainers” who guided them through investment processes.

According to victim reports, AI Earn operated smoothly initially, paying interest daily and processing small withdrawals without issues. This built trust among participants, encouraging larger deposits. Personal trainers actively guided operations like “picking up points” and “placing PK orders,” sometimes directly using victims’ accounts and passwords to execute trades. This hands-on assistance created false sense of professional management.

AI Earn Classic Ponzi Characteristics

High Guaranteed Returns: Promised stable daily profits without clear explanation of revenue sources

Upfront Deposits Required: Users had to deposit funds to unlock higher reward tiers

Early Withdrawal Success: Small initial withdrawals processed smoothly to build trust

Withdrawal Restrictions: Larger withdrawals became difficult or delayed before total shutdown

Referral Incentives: Users encouraged to recruit new participants for bonus rewards

The platform claimed to be registered as “AI Earn Investment and Trading Company Limited” with head office at 126 Ho Ba Kien Street, Ward 15, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City. However, the sudden disappearance raises serious questions about whether this registration was legitimate or merely fabricated to create legitimacy facade.

Victim Testimonies: Millions Lost in AI Earn Collapse

According to report filed by Ms. T from Linh Nam, Hanoi, through acquaintance named PT, she was introduced to AI Earn platform. On March 6, 2025, she and this person visited the representative office where PT personally used her phone to connect to AI Earn platform. Ms. T transferred 50 million VND to account number 9337192873.

During her time on the platform, Ms. T repeatedly deposited money by transferring funds to accounts provided by AI Earn, each registered under different individual names—a major red flag indicating potential money laundering operations.

Ms. T’s Complete Deposit History

March 6, 2025: 50 million VND to account 9337192873

June 25, 2025: 2 million VND to account 0348494690

August 25, 2025: 1.5 million VND to different account

September 17, 2025: 4 million VND to account 8843139156

September 17, 2025: 100 million VND to account 0390118848300

September 17, 2025: 100.5 million VND to account 1056276093

Total Lost: 258 million VND (approximately $10,400)

The escalating deposit pattern is typical of victims being gradually conditioned to invest larger amounts. Ms. T’s final deposits on September 17—just four days before the platform collapsed—totaled over 200 million VND, suggesting AI Earn operators knew the shutdown was imminent and accelerated fund collection.

Ms. H from Kim Lien, Hanoi, shared similar experience. On August 7, 2025, she visited the same Artemis Building office where an acquaintance used her phone to connect to AI Earn platform. Ms. H transferred 100 million VND to account number 3004122000. Following instructions, she deposited an additional 35 million VND on September 17, 2025—total loss of 135 million VND (approximately $5,400).

From around 2:30 AM on September 21, 2025, AI Earn platform unexpectedly ceased operation. The website and application became inaccessible, chat groups were deleted, and all contact channels disappeared. Ms. H stated that she and hundreds of other investors cannot withdraw capital, risking losing all invested funds. The application and organization are no longer operational, and referrers and customer service departments cannot be contacted.

Red Flags That Should Have Warned Investors

The AI Earn scam displayed multiple warning signs that investors should have recognized. Understanding these red flags helps protect against similar schemes targeting crypto and AI-related investment opportunities.

Critical Warning Signs

Unrealistic Guaranteed Returns: Promising high, stable daily profits without clear business model explanation

Deposit Requirements: Requiring upfront deposits to “unlock” higher earnings or withdrawal privileges

Multiple Personal Accounts: Transferring funds to different individual bank accounts rather than corporate accounts

Lack of Transparency: No clear information about company ownership, licensing, or regulatory compliance

Personal Trainer Control: Allowing third parties direct access to account passwords and trading execution

Physical Office Facade: Maintaining small representative office to create legitimacy while lacking proper business registration

The use of multiple individual bank accounts for fund collection is particularly suspicious. Legitimate businesses process payments through corporate accounts traceable to registered companies. AI Earn’s practice of directing transfers to different personal accounts suggests deliberate obfuscation to avoid detection and complicate fund recovery efforts.

The personal trainer model created additional vulnerability. By allowing PTs direct access to accounts and passwords, victims surrendered complete control over their funds. This enabled operators to execute trades or movements without victim consent, potentially manipulating balances to show false profits while actually draining accounts.

How AI Earn Scam Differs From Legitimate Crypto Platforms

Understanding the difference between AI Earn scam and legitimate crypto investment platforms is crucial for protecting future investments. Legitimate platforms display characteristics completely opposite to AI Earn’s model.

Legitimate Platform Characteristics

Regulatory Compliance: Licensed and regulated by recognized financial authorities with public verification

Transparent Team: Founders and executives publicly identified with verifiable professional backgrounds

Clear Revenue Model: Explicit explanation of how platform generates returns (trading fees, staking, DeFi yields)

Corporate Banking: Funds processed through verified corporate accounts, not personal bank accounts

User Custody Control: Users maintain complete control over private keys and passwords

Realistic Return Expectations: Returns fluctuate based on market conditions rather than guaranteed daily profits

Legitimate crypto platforms never guarantee fixed daily returns regardless of market conditions. Crypto markets are highly volatile, making consistent profits impossible to promise. Platforms offering guaranteed returns are almost certainly operating Ponzi schemes, paying early investors with later investors’ deposits rather than generating actual profits.

The requirement for personal trainers having direct account access is another major red flag. Legitimate platforms provide educational resources and customer support, but never request passwords or direct account control. This practice violates basic security principles and enables theft without recourse.

Legal Actions And Recovery Prospects

Realizing AI Earn platform was involved in fraudulent activities and asset misappropriation, Ms. T, Ms. H, and many other investors filed reports and complaints with Vietnamese authorities. However, recovery prospects remain uncertain given the sophisticated methods scammers employed to obscure fund trails.

The use of multiple personal bank accounts across different names complicates tracing stolen funds. By the time authorities investigate, funds have likely been withdrawn, converted to cryptocurrency, or transferred abroad through informal remittance channels. The deletion of all digital evidence—websites, applications, chat groups—further hinders investigation efforts.

Vietnamese law enforcement has increased focus on cryptocurrency-related fraud following rising incident rates. The State Bank of Vietnam and Ministry of Public Security have issued multiple warnings about unregulated investment platforms promising unrealistic returns. However, cross-border nature of many scams and cryptocurrency’s pseudonymous characteristics make prosecution and fund recovery extremely difficult.

Victims should immediately report to local police, provide all transaction records and communications, file complaints with State Bank of Vietnam, and join collective action groups with other victims to strengthen cases. While full recovery is unlikely, some victims may recoup partial losses if authorities successfully trace and freeze accounts before funds disappear completely.

How To Protect Yourself From AI Earn-Style Scams

The AI Earn case provides critical lessons for avoiding similar investment scams exploiting AI and crypto buzzwords to attract victims.

Protection Strategies

Verify Regulatory Status: Check company registration with official government databases before investing

Research Team Background: Investigate founders and executives through LinkedIn and professional networks

Understand Revenue Model: Demand clear explanations of how platform generates returns

Start Small: Test platforms with minimal amounts before larger commitments

Maintain Control: Never share passwords or private keys with anyone, including “personal trainers”

Watch for Ponzi Patterns: Be suspicious if early withdrawals succeed but later withdrawals fail

Check Corporate Banking: Only transfer funds to verified corporate accounts, not personal accounts

Trust Your Instincts: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is

Physical office presence doesn’t guarantee legitimacy. Scammers increasingly rent short-term office spaces to create credibility before disappearing. Verify business registration, regulatory licenses, and operational history rather than trusting physical locations alone.

The AI and crypto industries offer legitimate investment opportunities, but also attract sophisticated scammers exploiting public unfamiliarity with these technologies. Education remains the best defense against fraud. Understanding how legitimate platforms operate, what realistic returns look like, and recognizing common scam patterns protects both current and future investments.

FAQ

Is AI Earn a legitimate investment platform?

No, AI Earn displayed classic Ponzi scheme characteristics and collapsed on September 21, 2025, leaving hundreds of investors unable to withdraw funds. The platform operated without clear regulatory licensing and used multiple personal bank accounts rather than corporate accounts.

How much did victims lose in the AI Earn scam?

Individual victims lost between 35 million and 258 million VND (approximately $1,400 to $10,400). Total losses across all victims likely exceed several billion VND as hundreds of investors were affected.

Can AI Earn victims recover their money?

Recovery prospects are uncertain. While victims have filed police reports, the use of multiple personal accounts and deletion of all digital evidence complicates fund tracing. Some partial recovery may be possible if authorities act quickly to freeze accounts.

What were the biggest red flags in AI Earn?

Major warning signs included guaranteed daily returns regardless of market conditions, requiring deposits to unlock earnings, transferring funds to personal rather than corporate accounts, personal trainers having direct account access, and sudden platform disappearance with all contact channels deleted.

Are all “AI Earn” platforms scams?

Not all platforms using “AI” or “Earn” branding are scams, but the AI Earn case demonstrates how scammers exploit these buzzwords. Always verify regulatory status, understand revenue models, and start with amounts you can afford to lose completely.

How can I identify legitimate crypto investment platforms?

Legitimate platforms display regulatory licenses, transparent teams with verifiable backgrounds, clear revenue explanations, corporate banking, user custody control, and realistic fluctuating returns rather than guaranteed daily profits.