• The President of UOKiK, Tomasz Chróstny, initiated proceedings against Selfmaker Smart Solutions based in Dubai and Selfmaker Technology from Łódź and its president.
• Charges were also brought against five persons promoting the Selfmaker Smart Solutions affiliate program which may be based on a pyramid scheme-like promotion system.
• UOKiK has doubts, among others, regarding unfounded assurances about the generated profits of the companies and intensive marketing in a particularly sensitive group of consumers - the deaf community.

The President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection subjected to scrutiny two companies: Selfmaker Technology from Łódź, a company creating among others self-service devices, such as cash registers, cash deposit machines, information kiosks or equipment for automatic hand disinfection, and Selfmaker Smart Solutions based in Dubai (UAE), dealing with issuing tokens of the same name. Charges of infringing collective consumer interests were also brought against the president of the Łódź company and five entrepreneurs who were actively promoting an affiliate program related to attracting investors for Selfmaker Smart Solutions tokens.

Tokens are crypto assets - digital representations of value assigned to a specific investment project. The company from Dubai, which is the issuer of Selfmaker Smart Solutions tokens, declared to allocate funds from their issue for the purchase of 25 percent of shares in the company from Łódź and for its development. In turn, the investors, i.e. consumers, were promised the payment of assets in connection with the profit generated. The first such payment has been scheduled for 2024.

The President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has reservations about the claim that consumers who invest in the Selfmaker Smart Solutions token will be able to count on a share in the profits of the Selfmaker group (the company based in Łódź and related companies). In fact, these entities have no obligation whatsoever to the token holders. In addition, consumers purchasing Selfmaker Smart Solutions tokens were assured that they were investing in secure STO (Security Token Offering) tokens, reflected in real assets and giving right to a specific benefit. The aim was to instil confidence in consumers, but this information could be misleading. There are no legal guarantees in the form of an agreement between Dubai and Łódź companies on the transfer of funds or the payment of dividends to shareholders. Investors conclude an agreement only with the Dubai company, which may be of key importance should any problems with pursuing claims arise.

The intense marketing of investments in Selfmaker Smart Solutions tokens took place in the deaf community. This is a group that, due to their disability and communication barriers, may be prone to making decisions about investing funds and encounter difficulties with the verification of information.

- Misleading and unreliable information are an unfair market practice, and it is particularly shocking that this type of risky investment products is promoted among deaf people who require special protection against infringement of their rights - says Tomasz Chróstny, President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.

UOKiK also investigated the partnership project through which the token distribution takes place. The profits in this program depend on the introduction of other consumers into the system. This is how prohibited by law pyramid-type promotional systems work, the essence of which is the promise of benefits in exchange for attracting new people to the scheme, regardless of the sale or consumption of products.

- Pyramid schemes are extremely harmful, dishonest and illegal. Consumers are tempted by the vision of high returns, but end up losing the money they invested. In turn, the creators and promoters of the pyramid earn money. In our opinion, Selfmaker may have based its affiliate program on a pyramid scheme, which may adversely affect the economic interests of people who join it - says Tomasz Chróstny, President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.

Those most involved in the promotion of Selfmaker, including the promotion of the affiliate program, were: Kamil "Maciuś" Chomski (a deaf person - marketer), Kamil Krzysztof Jarzombek (infuencer, vlogger), Krystian Lejowski (marketer) and Tomasz Marek Sychowski (shareholder and CFO of Selfmaker Smart Solutions). In addition, the UOKiK President has brought a charge against Maciej Grzegorczyk - a lawyer who, inter alia, in publicly available recordings in sign language, assured that the Selfmaker project was safe and was not the so-called “pyramid scheme". All entrepreneurs emphasized the advantages of the investment, but did not mention the potential risks.

If the allegations of the UOKiK President are confirmed, Selfmaker Smart Solutions based in Dubai and Selfmaker Technology from Łódź face a fine of up to 10% of their turnover. Financial sanctions in the same amount may also be imposed on five entrepreneurs against whom the UOKiK President is conducting proceedings. The President of Selfmaker Technology president of Selfmaker Technology faces a fine of up to PLN 2 million for intentional infringement of law.

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