The scam (or whatever it is) worked for me this way:
1. I was/am interested in the virtual world and the future opportunities it would gradually provide for fun and business. I did not mind joining and waiting and paying and exploring the opportunities it would be gradually providing for fun/business.
2. The keywords "invest" (in avatar) and average return of 95-98 percent suggested game could be sensible regarding getting the money.
3. After several months of relaxed playing and paying in and hunting and mining, cycling relatively much, which looked enough for a test, my net worth to payed-in ratio was above 1.
4. Continued and even though I had gained much more info regarding the gear/game., my net worth to payed-in ratio is about 1/6 (skills included!!) and getting worse after much hunting and mining.
(I don't mind to pay, but not to a greedy and unfair game with misinformation and without a proper reporting system. It CAN be fixed.)
Main suggestions to help with fixing:
1. Much more info for new players + comprehensive Dashboards for players who have paid-in over 1k with much stats details
2. At least 90% of what you pay in should be returned to you unless you "directly" give it away. (it can start with giving back non-tradable valuable gears/land/apt. to justify the "invest" promise and such that players don't feel robbed)
3. Any hidden entry bonus (or things in that line) which makes calculations wrong should be disclosed boldly at the beginning of joining
4. Adding mystery instances and puzzle-like missions and new interesting places such as the volcano underground cave
5. Other ideas I keep for the time being
6. Going to court for a final loot if MA decides to ignore its loyal and patient clients (the victims, not the handful of lucky people who think it is their wisdom).
( The ideas may seem hard to manage and 1-5 need to refactor game towards, but it seems that the ideas all-in-all: shall bring much more players in and shall keep more players in and shall make it more fun and fairer, even the idea no. 6 moves MA and the game forward ! )