Amusing and true.

> The National Council on Problem Gambling operates the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network (call: 1-800-522-4700)

Sure, but a significant fraction of scam victims are older people suffering from cognitive decline who are losing the ability to ask themselves basic questions. Scammers have a long window of opportunity between when this mental condition starts and when relatives or government authorities establish some sort of financial conservatorship to protect them. This problem will only get worse with an aging population.

See my other comment: many do ask themselves that, in this case they reach the answer that it's a P&D and they think they can profit from it.

> or whatever selling a course

so some of those 'investor group' things the perpetrator spins it as that they're so rich that they're bored and lonely, and this trick is the thing they know best but they don't need it any more because they're already rich. Sometimes there are hints that the approach isn't 100% legal and so it's unwise for any one person to do too much of it.

Keep in mind the goal of the fraudster is not to convince everyone or even most people. Their goal is to have a few people who are very convinced, such that they'll part with large amounts of money. They don't mind convincing more, of course, but often the narrative that creates true believers is incompatible with ever catching a lot of people.

The scam seeing stupid in hindsight or that it makes its victims seem greedy or crooked themselves is a major advantage too, because it makes the victims much less likely to speak out or try to recover their losses from the perp.

The public stock markets were never intended to raise capital for new companies. Companies usually have to have at least some track record before an IPO.