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Three common cryptocurrency scam schemes
These schemes differ in how they approach you, but each relies on a made-up story to get you to transfer money or crypto. A convincing website, a displayed balance, or a familiar name is not proof that an investment or payment request is legitimate.
| Scheme | First contact and pitch | What the scammer fabricates | How they seek payment | When to stop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fake investment platform | An online promoter or supposed investment manager offers quick or guaranteed profits. | A polished platform, testimonials, or account growth that may not reflect real investments. | You are urged to deposit crypto or money, sometimes repeatedly; withdrawals may be blocked or tied to more fees. | Stop when returns are guaranteed, you are pressed to add funds, or you must pay more to withdraw supposed profits. FTC guidance. |
| Relationship-based investment scam | A stranger approaches through social media, a messaging or dating app, or an apparently accidental text; trust builds over time. | The person may claim investing expertise and direct you to a fraudulent platform or wallet displaying fabricated returns. | You are persuaded to send crypto or money to the platform or wallet, and may be asked to meet a courier with cash or valuables. | Stop if a new online contact steers a personal or business relationship toward an investment. Do not meet to hand over cash or valuables. Investor.gov and the FBI/IC3 alert. |
| Impersonation and urgent-payment scam | An unexpected call or message claims to come from a business, government agency, utility, employer, or another trusted party. | An account problem, threat, prize, or job is used to manufacture urgency. | You are told to buy crypto and send it to an address or scan a QR code to resolve the supposed issue or receive a benefit. | Stop when an unexpected contact demands crypto or pressures you to act immediately. Contact the organization using details you locate yourself. FTC guidance. |
Fake investment platforms and guaranteed returns
A scammer may present an investment as a way to make fast profits, then direct you to a credible-looking website or app. The account can show fictitious growth, making another deposit seem like a logical next step. When you try to withdraw, the platform may block access or demand additional fees, taxes, or penalties.
Do not treat a small successful withdrawal as proof that the platform is genuine. An operator may allow one to build confidence before asking for more. The FTC puts the core warning plainly: “Only scammers guarantee profits or big returns.” (Federal Trade Commission.)
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Relationship-based investment scams
Sometimes called “pig butchering,” these scams begin with conversation rather than an obvious investment pitch. A stranger may contact you on social media, a messaging service, or a dating app—or send a text that appears to have gone to the wrong person. After building trust, the person introduces cryptocurrency investing and may steer you to a platform or wallet they control.
Displayed gains can be fabricated. The FBI/IC3 also warns of romance or business approaches that lead to supposed crypto investments and, in some cases, requests to hand over cash or valuables to a courier. Do not go to a meeting arranged for that purpose. The FBI/IC3 alert dated June 15, 2026 says: “Do not continue with unsolicited communications with an unknown person.”
Impersonation and urgent-payment scams
A fraudster may pose as a government agency, company, utility, employer, or other trusted organization. The story might be an account emergency, a threatened penalty, a prize, or a job offer. The requested action is the tell: buy cryptocurrency, then send it to a supplied wallet address or scan a QR code.
The FTC says legitimate businesses and government agencies do not demand cryptocurrency as payment to resolve a problem. A real organization can be contacted through a number or website you find independently; do not rely on the caller’s number or a link in the message.
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- Fake giveaways: A post impersonating a celebrity or public figure promises to multiply crypto you send. Treat the promise as a warning, not a chance to earn.
- Upfront-fee job offers: A supposed crypto-related employer requires payment before you can start or receive work.
- Blackmail: A fraudster threatens to reveal private information unless you pay in cryptocurrency.
These variations use different stories, but the same safe response applies: do not pay because someone creates fear, urgency, or an apparent opportunity.
Warning signs and checks to make before sending
- Guaranteed or unusually easy returns: No one can guarantee cryptocurrency investment returns. A promise of large profits, fast money, or little risk is a red flag.
- Unsolicited investment contact: Be especially cautious if a stranger quickly moves the conversation off the original platform, claims special access or insider knowledge, or uses a developing relationship to encourage investing.
- Pressure to act on an account emergency: Do not buy or transfer crypto because an unexpected caller or message says your money is at risk. Verify through contact information you obtain independently.
- Fees to release supposed profits: Be wary of demands for taxes, penalties, or other fees before a platform will let you withdraw. A displayed balance does not establish that funds are real.
- Persuasive but unverified proof: Testimonials, polished dashboards, altered images, or videos can support a fabricated story; they do not establish that an investment is genuine.
- Requests to hand over valuables: Do not meet a stranger to give a courier cash or property for an investment, and do not share personal or banking information with them.
Search the person or company name alongside terms such as “review,” “scam,” or “complaint.” If the pitch involves an investment professional or firm, check registration through the relevant regulator. A clean search result is not proof of legitimacy, but complaints or missing registration can be reasons to stop and investigate further. The FTC offers consumer guidance; Investor.gov explains relationship investment scams.
What to do if you have been targeted or already paid
- Stop sending money or crypto. Do not pay another fee, tax, or penalty to unlock supposed profits, and stop communicating with a suspected relationship scammer.
- Preserve the evidence. Save messages, account details, wallet addresses, transaction records, and payment receipts. Keep them available for a report to the relevant service.
- Contact the payment provider promptly. If you paid through a company or service, ask it whether any intervention is possible. Do not assume the payment can be reversed.
- Report the suspected fraud. In the United States, the FTC directs consumers to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FBI/IC3 publishes cryptocurrency fraud alerts and reporting resources at IC3.
- Ignore unsolicited recovery offers. Do not pay an advance fee to someone who promises to retrieve your crypto. A promise of recovery is not proof they can help.
How widespread are reported crypto losses?
The FTC reported in June 2022 that more than 46,000 people had reported losing over $1 billion in cryptocurrency to scams since the start of 2021. Those are historical reported losses for that period, not a current annual total or an estimate of all fraud. (FTC data spotlight.)
Separately, the FTC reported more than $7.9 billion in reported losses to investment scams in 2025, with a median individual loss above $10,000. These figures cover investment scams broadly, not cryptocurrency scams alone. (FTC data spotlight.)
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