Blessing Loom / Circle Game Chain Letter Scam

Overview

A social-media "game" — also called the Blessing Loom, Mandala Game, Infinity Loom, or Money Board — tricks people into paying $100 to join an octagon-shaped payment pyramid, promising an $800 payout that almost never arrives.

How It Works

Scammers recruit through posts or direct messages on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media inviting people to join a "Circle," "Loom," or "Board." To join, a person sends $100 through PayPal or another digital payment app to whoever occupies the center of an octagon-shaped graphic, which secures them a spot on the outer ring. As more people pay to join, the board splits and expands, and players are told they can move toward the center by recruiting new people themselves. Once a player's name finally reaches the center, they are supposed to collect $100 each from eight new recruits on the outer ring before leaving the game or starting over. No product or service is sold and no real investment generates the payouts — the only money coming in is from new recruits, so once people run out of friends or strangers to recruit, the money dries up and everyone still waiting at the outer rings loses what they paid.

Red Flags

• Invitation arrives as a social media post or DM urging you to join a 'game,' 'circle,' 'loom,' or 'board'
• You're asked to pay another private individual directly via PayPal or a digital payment app to secure a spot
• The pitch promises a fixed large payout (e.g., $800) for a small upfront payment (e.g., $100) with no product or service involved
• Payouts depend entirely on recruiting new participants rather than any real investment or business activity
• Friends or family who've already joined pressure you to sign up too

Real Examples

• FTC consumer alert describes the scheme circulating under names like 'The Circle Game,' 'Blessing Loom,' and 'Money Board,' spreading at a time when many people were out of work and looking for extra cash
• Commenters on the FTC's alert page describe joining after a friend or family member recruited them, paying in along with a relative, and never receiving the promised payout

Where It Spreads

How to Protect Yourself

• Treat any 'game,' 'loom,' or 'board' that asks you to pay to join and recruit others as an illegal pyramid scheme, not a real investment
• Don't send money through PayPal or other payment apps to strangers or acquaintances to join an online recruitment game
• If a friend or family member invites you to join, warn them it's a scam instead of participating
• Remember that in chain-letter pyramid schemes nearly everyone loses money except those at the very top who got in first
• Report it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint if you're invited to join or if you've already lost money

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