MetaMask Flags DAO1 as Deceptive Amid Fraud Concerns
In early July 2025, MetaMask, a leading U.S.-based crypto wallet platform, flagged DAO1’s website (app.dao1.ai) as “potentially deceptive,” warning users of risks like secret recovery phrase theft, malicious transactions, and asset loss, per cryptobriefing.com. The alert, tied to blocklists from SEAL, ChainPatrol, and MetaMask, targets DAO1’s official domain, not fake sites, despite DAO1’s July 18 claim blaming scammers for creating phishing links, per coindesk.com. DAO1, a reboot of the collapsed GSPartners scheme led by Josip Heit from Dubai, mirrors its predecessor’s 2023 MetaMask block for “nefarious activity,” per cryptonews.com. X posts from @CryptoLawyerX report investor complaints of stolen funds, amplifying concerns about DAO1’s legitimacy.
Regulatory Scrutiny and Fraudulent Operations
DAO1, launched in late 2024, promotes passive returns through AI trading bots and APTM mining, costing $50–$10,000 annually, with an MLM compensation plan rewarding recruitment, per jessesingh.org. It’s a continuation of GSPartners, which defrauded investors of over $1B via unregistered “MetaCertificates” promising 2.5%–5% weekly returns, per dfpi.ca.gov. Regulatory actions include:
- Australia’s ASIC (February 2, 2025) and New Zealand’s FMA (January 30, 2025) issued securities fraud warnings for unregistered offerings, per fma.govt.nz.
- Texas SSB’s March 20, 2025, cease-and-desist order against DAO1 and Apertum Holding Ltd. named Josip Heit, Dirc Zahlmann, Bruce Hughes, and Dennis Loos for securities fraud, per bekm.us.
- GSPartners faced warnings from the U.S. (11 states), Canada (five provinces), South Africa, and the UK, collapsing in December 2023, per inview.org.uk.
DAO1’s claim of being a decentralized platform to evade regulation is baseless, as no jurisdiction exempts DAOs from securities laws, per jessesingh.org. Heit’s settlement with North American regulators in September 2024, admitting to illegal securities sales, bars DAO1 and GSPro+ from the U.S. and Canada, with a victim claim portal open from February 21 to May 22, 2025, per fintelegram.com.
Josip Heit’s Dubai-Based Scheme
Josip Heit, a German national operating from Dubai, is linked to GSPartners, DAO1, and shell entities like Apertum and Auratus, per sokalinfo.com. Dubai’s lax oversight makes it a hub for MLM scams, per cryptopolitan.com. Heit’s team, including Zahlmann (former GSB CMO), Hughes (corporate trainer), and Loos (marketing advisor), has final fraud judgments from Texas SSB, per inview.org.uk. DAO1’s website traffic (125,000 monthly visits, primarily Russia, Greece, Australia) and APTM’s manipulated trading volume ($3.3M to $14.3M in 24 hours) suggest wash trading, per bekm.us. X posts from @scamalerts4u highlight Heit’s history with Karatbars and OneCoin, urging victims to report to regulators.
Investor Action and Market Guidance
Investors should avoid DAO1 and Apertum, as their unregistered status and history of fraud signal high risk, per fma.govt.nz. GSPartners victims in North America can file refund claims until May 22, 2025, via the AlixPartners portal, per dfpi.ca.gov. Report suspicious activity to the SEC, CFTC, or FBI, especially for U.S., Australian, or New Zealand residents, per cryptobriefing.com. Monitor X (@scamalerts4u) for updates on DAO1’s activities. Diversify into regulated assets like BTC ($123,091.61) or ETH ($3,811), per CoinMarketCap, to avoid MLM scams. DAO1’s deceptive practices and regulatory bans confirm it as a continuation of GSPartners’ fraud—steer clear and prioritize verified investments.