The problem is that there isn't scamkid23439 that will run away with the money. There is ...
- People like @MrWang, he owes 8 btc on GetLine. I should probably do the exercise to see how many defaulted peer-to-peer crypto-borrowers there exists on Steemit.
- Some of the scammers are experts on social engineering attacks - and it may take a year or two before you know you've been scammed - and then the borrower appears from nowhere offering to start repaying the debt, but there is always a catch, isn't it ...
- Some keep borrowing and repaying frequently, paying excessive interest rates, building up a reputation ... but with only one purpose in mind: running away with as much money as they can. They usually fund their repayments through new loans, either on other platforms or with different usernames, or even completely visible as some of the platforms allows a user to open up multiple loans. "Ponzi-borrowers".
- Some actually want to be honest people, but they just cannot handle money - it slips away between their fingers every time they get in touch with money, hence they are never able to repay any significant amount of money, but will come back begging for new loans.
- Some people have the best of the business ideas and needs funding. There is a chance that the business idea succeeds, but there is a bigger chance that it fails miserably. Will the borrower be both able and motivated to pay up the debt?
- Loans denominated in crypto currency is a terrible idea, due to the volatility, value can easily grow tenfold - or fall to 10% - within a relatively short time period. If the market value has fallen a lot, lenders are at loss - but also, if the market value rises a lot, the borrowers will not be able to pay up, and the lenders are also at loss.
Very good arguments! Absolutely something to consider...Thanks a lot.