I would not consider it a scam, but definitely a mid-high risk investment for sure. However I had this friend of mine, who had lots of this altcoin called USD, and managed to lead a decent life. I don't know if there is a corellation, but I'm pretty suspicious.
So if you want to sleep well, avoid it, but as always: I am not a financial advisor, you have to make your own research and due diligence, and decide on your own.
Cheers
Your friend is running out of luck!