‘Trump Bucks’ promise wealth for MAGA loyalty. Some lose thousands.

Note: I'm not sure where to put this -- mods will move it to the correct section if I got things wrong.

Trump's popularity and the willingness of his base to send money to him has opened the way for a lot of scammers to take advantage of people. These are all MSM links (which I know are scoffed at) but... well, fair warning, folks.

MSNBC broke the news

In the recesses of the internet where some of Donald Trump’s most fervent supporters stoke conspiracies and plot his return to the White House, suspected con artists have been mining their disappointment over the last presidential election for gold.

They’ve been peddling “Trump Bucks,” which are emblazoned with photos of the former president, and advertising them online as a kind of golden ticket that will help propel Trump’s 2024 bid and make the “real patriots” who support him rich when cashed in.

John Amann told NBC News he bought $2,200 worth of Trump Bucks and other items over the past year only to discover they were worthless when he tried to cash them in at his local bank. So he’s gone on Twitter to warn other Trump supporters not to fall for this scam.

NBC News has a list of the companies selling this memorabilia (that's what it is, though it's presented as real currency)


Rolling Stone says:

ALLEGED SCAMMERS HAVE been cashing in on a “Trump Bucks” scheme that has some of the former president’s most fervent and vulnerable supporters buying worthless checks, coins, and cards they believe will make them rich.

According to an NBC News report, Trump Bucks are being advertised on areas of the internet peddling conspiracies to the MAGA crowd. These Trump Bucks look like coins, checks, or membership cards and often have Trump’s face on them, but they are not legal tender — something purchasers have discovered when trying to redeem them at stores and banks. There is no evidence that Trump or his campaign are associated with the purported scam, but videos with AI-generated audio impersonating Trump (or sometimes billionaire Elon Musk) appear to endorse the products.

Rolling Stone article

Although people are complaining online, only ONE PERSON has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. FTC oversees currency among other things. I think the distrust of government will mean that these businesses continue to go unreported and to keep selling memorabilia as genuine currency to people naive enough to believe the AI video ads.

Snopes has some screen shots of a few items (they say the claim is "unproven" at this point)

a reply to: Byrd


Tbh if they are that stupid to buy literally into this then I say go for it.
All this does is show me how gullible his most avid supporters are.
Kinda like the Trump card thing.
It's things like this that don't help his image, and sadly he is ok with it or else it wouldn't be a thing.

a reply to: Allaroundyou


In all fairness, the ads are designed to capture the gullible, and what makes it more confusing is that Trump dipped his toe in NFT's and uses his mailing list to sell gold cards, black cards, shirts, hats, bumper stickers, etc, etc. People are assuming that these are licensed or even from Trump himself.

Here's a transcript of one ad:

“TRB system membership cards are official cards issued by Donald Trump to allow Trump Bucks holders to use Trump Bucks as legal tender and deposit them in banks such as JP Morgan Chase, the Bank of America and Wells Fargo,” a narrator identified only as “John” that appears to be a computer-generated voice says in one YouTube ad just moments after cautioning viewers that “Trump Bucks are not legal tender.”

Much as I dislike Trump, I hate to see people scammed.

a reply to: Byrd

And our Biden bucks keep getting sent to Ukraine. We are getting grifted for quite a bit more on that end wouldnt you say?

a reply to: soundsofmadness

I don't think you know what grifting means.
But besides that maybe your right or maybe your wrong.
The way I see it is we are helping someone being picked on.

But the bucks is actually grifting.

like these

www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: Byrd


I really don't like seeing people preyed on and scammed.
Trump himself should be putting an end to this with the court system.
Until he does I view him as complacent in this borderline criminal act.

originally posted by: Allaroundyou
a reply to: soundsofmadness

I don't think you know what grifting means.
But besides that maybe your right or maybe your wrong.
The way I see it is we are helping someone being picked on.

But the bucks is actually grifting.

I dont think you know what anything means

Where these notes made with a little bit of gold? Could melt that and get a few bucks back if desperate.

originally posted by: shooterbrody
a reply to: Allaroundyou
Not surprising

I never said I believe it, nor do I think I have really ever spoken of it.
I do however wish it to be real just for the giggles.

And what's not surprising exactly?
Also have you actually looked into his buildings and the residents whom occupy some of them?
Are you aware of the dealing those individuals have?
Are you aware that he is good friends with them?
My guess is you haven't a clue. If you did then you probably wouldn't have your head in the sand.

So him not actively speaking out against this again shows he is ok with the grift.
Not very cool if ya ask me.

originally posted by: kwakakev
Where these notes made with a little bit of gold? Could melt that and get a few bucks back if desperate.

For everyone's sake that did purchase these I certainly hope they can get something from it.
But if memorabilia is the reason then I would say they definitely got a unique part of history in their possession.

originally posted by: soundsofmadness

originally posted by: Allaroundyou
a reply to: soundsofmadness

I don't think you know what grifting means.
But besides that maybe your right or maybe your wrong.
The way I see it is we are helping someone being picked on.

But the bucks is actually grifting.

I dont think you know what anything means

That feeling is reciprocated.
Do you have anything else to add?

a reply to: Allaroundyou
President Trump has NOTHING to do with this scam, or the story in the op; as quoted from the actual story:

No evidence suggests the alleged scammers are connected to Trump or his re-election campaign.

All your innuendos and misinformation won’t change the actual facts.

a reply to: shooterbrody

I never said he is responsible nor did I say he encouraged this scam.
But he is fully aware I'm sure and has done nothing to stop it.

I'll help you here, the facts are that people are being taken advantage of, and that the selling point of these items has his face on it.
Now why has he not taken these people to court when he loves to do so?
My guess is he loves his crowd to be loyal.

Did you buy or something lol

a reply to: Allaroundyou
Hmmm
Exactly what legal responsibility does president trump have here?
Thanks in advance for your answer.

originally posted by: Allaroundyou
a reply to: shooterbrody

I never said he is responsible nor did I say he encouraged this scam.
But he is fully aware I'm sure and has done nothing to stop it.

I'll help you here, the facts are that people are being taken advantage of, and that the selling point of these items has his face on it.
Now why has he not taken these people to court when he loves to do so?
My guess is he loves his crowd to be loyal.

Did you buy or something lol

So it's Trump's job to be a prosecutor and chase after scammers? Maybe get the DNC to deputize him as a US Marshal? That would be really cool.

a reply to: Allaroundyou

He doesn't have any legal responsibility.

So his name in the headline and not the scammers is misinformation?
And the goal here is to “deny ignorance “?