Detecting Deception: A Guide on How to Identify an SBLC Program Scam Step by Step

How to Identify an SBLC Program Scam (Private Placement Program, Bullet Program, Managed Buy-Sell Program)

The financial world is full of real investment opportunities, but it’s also crawling with scams designed to trick people out of their money. One of the most persistent frauds is the so-called SBLC Trade Program—often linked to Private Placement Programs (PPPs), Bullet Programs, and Managed Buy-Sell Programs. These schemes claim to use Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs) to generate absurdly high returns with “zero risk”—but in reality, they’re nothing more than an elaborate con.


If you’ve come across documents promising millions in just a few weeks from a "secret banking program," walk away. There is no such thing. These scams are built on deception, using financial jargon to create the illusion of legitimacy. Let’s break down an actual scam document and show exactly why these programs are nothing but a fairy tale for the desperate and uninformed.


Breaking Down the Scam Document

The scam document we’re analyzing follows a familiar pattern: it lures investors in with high returns, risk-free participation, and a false sense of legitimacy by name-dropping "Top 50 Banks." Here’s why it’s all a lie.


1. The Myth of “Discounted” SBLCs

The document claims:


"The SBLC Trade Program is generated by the purchase of a discounted Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC) from a World Top 50 Bank and then monetization to create a Non-Recourse fund."

Reality check: SBLCs are not “purchased at a discount” or monetized for instant profit. SBLCs are bank instruments used for guaranteeing payment in commercial transactions—not for speculative trading. Banks do not sell them at a discount like discount bonds, and no legitimate bank will issue one for the purpose of “leveraging” into instant cash.


2. Guaranteed 10-Week Paydays – Pure Fantasy

The scam claims:

"$260K investment yields $3 million in 10 weeks. $500K investment returns $40 million in 10 weeks."

This is nonsense. If such a system existed, every major investment firm would be throwing money at it. No legitimate financial structure on earth provides such risk-free, guaranteed, sky-high returns. It’s classic Ponzi logic. Real investments involve risk and market fluctuations. The idea that a $500K investment can magically become $40 million in 10 weeks is fantasy finance.


3. Fake “Independent Trustee” for “Protection”

The scam tries to make investors feel secure by stating:


"Funds are protected by an Independent Trustee, a highly recognized and well-respected Financier."


This is an empty claim. These so-called trustees are either:

  • Complicit fraudsters who disappear once the money is wired.
  • Fake personas created to make the operation seem legitimate.
  • Legit-looking names with no actual authority or regulatory oversight.


A real trustee is regulated and operates under strict legal frameworks. Scam programs simply name-drop an “Independent Trustee” without any verification.


4. Fake SWIFT Messages (MT799 and MT760)

The document throws in banking codes to sound legitimate:


"Program commences as follows:
  1. SBLC is ordered with the bank.
  2. Issuing bank sends MT799.
  3. Receiving bank verifies MT799.
  4. Issuing bank sends MT760.
  5. Non-recourse payments begin."


While MT799 and MT760 are real SWIFT message types, their use in these scams is misleading.


  • MT799 is just a free-format SWIFT message. It does not transfer funds or secure payment.
  • MT760 is a bank guarantee message. Legitimate banks do not send this as part of “investment” programs.


Banks do not issue MT760s just because someone wires them a deposit. The way it’s described in these scams does not reflect how actual financial transactions work.


5. Upfront “Intermediary Fees”

This is how they get your money:


"Client sends out fees of 10% of the investment value to intermediaries by wire transfer within 72 hours."

The scam forces you to pay fees upfront before you see a dime in returns. This is the real business model: once you send the money, the "investment opportunity" will suddenly run into delays, require more payments, or just disappear altogether.


Once you pay, expect one of two things:

  1. They ghost you. No replies, no program, nothing.
  2. They string you along. Fake documents, fake excuses, and a request for more money before your supposed profits materialize.


Debunking First Fusion Capital Funding’s Fake “Managed Buy-Sell” Program

This isn’t just a one-off scam. Scammers peddle the same nonsense, wrapped in a slick website. Their “Managed Buy-Sell” program follows the same fraud playbook.

They claim:

“You provide a minimum $100M SBLC or BG and receive 10X to 30X returns in 10 to 20 banking days.”

There is no such program. Not a single financial institution or regulator has ever verified the existence of any of these so-called managed buy-sell platforms.


  • SBLCs and Bank Guarantees (BGs) are NOT cash instruments – they cannot be freely traded like stocks or bonds.
  • No bank will give you 10X to 30X returns on a leveraged instrument. This is pure scammer talk.
  • Real finance is structured, regulated, and audited. No hidden secret money-printing programs exist.


Their goal? Get you to send money upfront, keep you chasing fake documents, and ultimately leave you with nothing.


Foolproof Ways to Prove These Programs Are Fake

If you ever encounter one of these programs, ask the promoters to comply with the following standard requirements. They never will.


  • Regulated Financial Institution Confirmation: Ask them for confirmation of their program directly from a top-tier bank in writing. Not a made-up letter, but a signed confirmation from a regulated institution. They won’t provide this because no real bank is involved.
  • Proof of Past Performance from a Regulated Auditor: Demand audited financial statements proving that someone has successfully completed the program. They will never provide real documentation because no one has ever profited from these scams.
  • Direct Communication with a Legitimate Bank Officer: Tell them you will only proceed if you can speak directly with a bank officer from a real institution handling the transaction. They will make excuses or put you in touch with a fake "bank officer" who has no verifiable banking credentials.
  • Ask for a Regulation Reference: Ask them which financial regulatory body oversees their transactions. There won’t be one, because they operate outside the law.


Why People Fall for These Scams

The reason these scams persist is simple: greed and desperation. The promise of making millions with little effort is seductive.


Fraudsters target:

  • Entrepreneurs looking for quick funding.
  • People burned by traditional finance, looking for alternative investments.
  • Those who believe in “banking secrets” and “elite investment programs” hidden from the public.


If it sounds too good to be true, it’s a scam. Every time.


Final Word

SBLC Trade Programs, Private Placement Programs, and Managed Buy-Sell Programs are all frauds. There is no hidden banking secret that turns pennies into millions overnight.


If someone tells you otherwise, they’re lying—and if you send them money, it’s gone. No refunds, no lawsuits, no trace.


Want real investment opportunities? Stick to licensed, regulated financial structures. Don’t throw your money at ghosts—if you’re an accredited investor, there are plenty of legitimate funds that would gladly take your capital and actually put it to work. Anything else is just a ticket to getting scammed.

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