I see this argument against premining all the time, and while I’m not bullish on IOTA, I think it’s worth at least calling out... just because it’s premined doesn’t mean it’s a scam. Most of the time I see this argument from crypto purists that think the only valid currency is evenly distributed. Using XRP as an example (because I’m most familiar with it), Ripple has been nothing about transparent about the supply of XRP and what it’s being used for. They have made it clear that they own the majority at the current time, and their holdings will be used to further their partnerships. Everything Ripple has done has been completely upfront and transparent. Their mission is well stated, and they have a clear plan. Whether or not they will achieve their goals is a different story, but there is nothing they’ve done that seems remotely like a scam to me.

You may not agree with premining for other reasons, but please don’t call something a scam just because someone is trying to be a capitalist.

In the context of deceiving users and leading them to believe there is a more even distribution than there is in reality – premining could be a scam. The examples you gave, however, don’t fit the bill.