Update 1/16 - Adblock has informed BleepingComputer that its engineers fixed the problem and released ABP 3.22.1 and AB 5.17.1 on the Opera and Edge extension stores. The same versions are currently in review on the Mozilla and Chrome add-on stores, and should be made available soon.
I don’t think it was a scam as such. I think people didn’t really understand their model. I haven’t stayed informed on it though so maybe there is more to know.