If it were a scam, you wouldn't make an ROI. If they didn't pay you every sunday like clockwork, you would not make an ROI. If you don't break even, but still got paid, then you made an ROI.
Except, in a ponzi there's always a bunch making a profit.
That doesn't make it less of a scam.
Honestly, the subject has been debated to death.
Anyone still opting to invest only has themselves to blame when the payouts stop coming.
I get it, you're pulling revenue from a different source. If you spam "pbmining is great" enough times, you'll get more signups through your referral.
That still doesn't help the other people who genuinely believe it's a good investment.
Your point is taken. I do however think they're legit. I chose the avenue of referrals because I enjoy the game, partially, and because I posted the link in my sig on a total whim and it paid off
Truth is since I started actively promoting it I've done worse than when it was just sitting there.
Mainly, though, I compared the cost to existing hardware, vaporware scams, er, I mean, Pre orders! yeah, that's it. Pre orders. And I came down to basically two choices at the time. There are a few more now, fortunately, but then there were basically two choices. pbmining and Bitmain.
Bitmain is hardware that I can put my fingers on and play with. But it don't come with a decent PSU and it sucks electricity like a politician sucks life. Still the best game in town... but when you factor in electricity costs, even as low as Idaho rates are, and the expense of a PSU, plus the possible down time from power outage, children fingerpoking, random acts of vengeful gods... it worked out better to go with pbmining. Not by much, pretty close to even in fact, but slightly better using those same calculators that the trolls love to (ab)use.
There is a school of thought that holds that mining is never as profitable as buying and holding. I think people like this suffer from tunnel vision, or have a very narrow view of profit. Or just no patience. Bitcoin is at a nexus right now. It will either die very quickly, or it will soar in value. I can't really see any other outcomes. Also, to all you buy and hold people? Without us who mine, there would be nothing for you to buy and hold.
Mining gold is not as profitable as trading gold. But without the miner, the trader has empty pockets. We may not be the most financially savvy people in the world, or perhaps the compulsion to hunt treasure is a disease... but we produce what others want because we want to produce it. Sometimes the adventure is worth a monetary loss. Other times it's just a fuckup, but nevertheless, without the miners there is no bitcoin/gold/silver/platinum/shiny rocks...