Top 10 Crypto Scams and How to Avoid Them

Understand how fraudulent activities are conducted in cryptocurrency, and get insights to safeguard your assets

Introduction

Cryptocurrency surfaced as a response to the 2008 financial crisis, offering an alternative to traditional banking systems by facilitating decentralized transactions. Bitcoin, the pioneering cryptocurrency, ignited widespread interest and paved the way for the development of numerous alternative digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency transactions’ decentralized and pseudonymous nature has made them an attractive target for scammers. Various fraudulent schemes have increased in crypto, including fake initial coin offerings (ICOs), phishing attacks, and pump-and-dump schemes. These scams pose a significant threat to investors and the integrity of the cryptocurrency market.

Unlike traditional financial systems, where recourse mechanisms may exist to recover lost or stolen funds, cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible, making asset protection essential. Investors must prioritize security measures and prudent investment practices to mitigate the risk of financial loss.

Top 10 Crypto Scams

1. Fraudulent Cryptocurrencies

Fraudulent cryptocurrencies operate by enticing investors with promises of high returns or innovative features, only to turn out as non-existent or worthless projects. These scams often mimic established cryptocurrencies, or falsely claim affiliation with reputable projects to deceive unsuspecting investors.

For instance, My Big Coin, a fake cryptocurrency, defrauded investors by posing as a legitimate digital asset. In that case, the creators misrepresented the project, possibly by falsifying information about its features, team, or potential returns, to attract investors.

Despite appearing credible on the surface, My Big Coin turned out to be a scam, and investors ultimately lost $6 million when the fraudulent nature of the project was exposed. This highlights the importance of conducting thorough research and due diligence before investing in any cryptocurrency project to avoid falling victim to scams.

2. Phony Exchanges

Phony exchanges are legitimate cryptocurrency trading platforms, offering enticing features, attractive user interfaces, and sometimes even fake customer testimonials. They lure users into depositing funds by promising high liquidity, low trading fees, and exclusive investment opportunities.

However, once investors deposit their funds, these fraudulent exchanges vanish, leaving users unable to access or withdraw their assets.

BitKRX, for example, posed as a major cryptocurrency exchange in South Korea, duping investors before being exposed and reprimanded by local authorities.

3. Pump-and-Dump Schemes

Pump-and-dump schemes involve artificially inflating the price of a cryptocurrency through false or misleading information, creating a buying frenzy among investors. This artificial demand drives up the price, allowing the perpetrators to sell their holdings at a profit.

Once they’ve cashed out, the price collapses, leaving unsuspecting investors with significant losses. These schemes often target low-cap cryptocurrencies or newly listed tokens with low liquidity, making them vulnerable to manipulation.

Notable examples include schemes orchestrated around lesser-known altcoins or tokens promising revolutionary technology that later proved non-existent.

Here are a few examples of pump-and-dump schemes in the cryptocurrency space:

1. Bitconnect: Bitconnect was a cryptocurrency lending platform that promised high returns to investors through a lending program and a proprietary trading bot. However, it was widely criticized as a Ponzi scheme. The value of Bitconnect’s native token, BCC, experienced significant fluctuations, with prices soaring during promotional events and then crashing dramatically, leading to substantial losses for investors.
2. Centra Tech: Centra Tech was a startup that claimed to offer a debit card allowing users to spend cryptocurrency in real-world transactions. The company conducted an initial coin offering (ICO) and enlisted celebrity endorsements to promote its project. However, it was later revealed that Centra Tech’s founders had fabricated key elements of their business, including partnerships with major credit card companies. The SEC charged Centra Tech’s founders with fraud, and the project’s token value plummeted.
3. OneCoin: OneCoin was a cryptocurrency project that claimed to offer a revolutionary digital currency and investment opportunity. Despite lacking transparency and verifiable blockchain technology, it attracted many investors through aggressive marketing tactics and promises of high returns. However, it was eventually exposed as a Ponzi scheme, with its founders facing legal action and its operations shut down in various countries.

These examples illustrate how pump-and-dump schemes operate in the cryptocurrency market, enticing investors with promises of high returns while manipulating prices through coordinated buying and selling actions.

4. P2P Trading Scams

P2P trading scams occur within peer-to-peer trading platforms, where scammers exploit vulnerabilities in the escrow system. They may convince buyers to transact outside the platform, bypassing escrow protection, and once payment is received, the scammer disappears without delivering the cryptocurrency.

These scams undermine trust in P2P trading platforms and highlight the importance of conducting transactions within the platform’s secure framework. One example is when a seller convinces a buyer to use external payment methods, such as bank transfers, to avoid platform fees, leaving the buyer vulnerable to fraudulent transactions.

5. Fake Apps

Scammers create fake cryptocurrency trading apps or modify legitimate apps to deceive users and steal funds or personal information. These fraudulent apps often mimic the branding and features of popular cryptocurrency platforms, making them difficult to distinguish from genuine apps. Once installed, these apps may introduce malware to users’ devices, compromising security and privacy.

An example is fake apps that impersonate reputable exchanges like Binance or Coinbase, tricking users into providing their login credentials and accessing their funds.

6. Ponzi Schemes

Ponzi schemes promise high returns on investment by using funds from new investors to pay returns to earlier investors, creating the illusion of profitability. As the scheme grows, it becomes unsustainable, leading to financial losses for most participants. Ponzi schemes often disguise themselves as legitimate investment opportunities, offering guaranteed returns or multi-level referral programs to attract investors.

BitClub Network, for instance, ran one of the largest Ponzi schemes in the cryptocurrency space, defrauding investors of over $700 million before authorities apprehended its operators.

7. Exit Scams

Exit scams occur when cryptocurrency projects raise funds through initial coin offerings (ICOs) or token sales but disappear after collecting investor funds. These fraudulent projects often promise revolutionary technology or disruptive solutions but fail to deliver on their promises.

Once the ICO is concluded and funds are raised, the project founders abandon the project or shut down operations, leaving investors with worthless tokens and no means of recovering their investments. DeFi Scams

Decentralized finance (DeFi) scams exploit the growing popularity of decentralized applications (DApps) and smart contracts to defraud investors. These scams often target yield farming protocols, liquidity pools, or decentralized exchanges (DEXs) by offering high returns on investment or fraudulent investment opportunities. Rug pull scams, for example, involve creators of DeFi projects draining liquidity from their own platforms, causing token prices to plummet and leaving investors with significant losses.

8. Phishing Scams

Phishing scams involve sending fraudulent emails or messages to individuals, posing as legitimate entities to deceive them into revealing sensitive information or performing unauthorized actions. Cryptocurrency phishing scams often target users of popular platforms or services, such as cryptocurrency exchanges or wallets, by impersonating official communications.

These scams may request personal information, login credentials, or private keys, allowing scammers to gain unauthorized access to users’ accounts and steal their funds. An example is when scammers impersonate customer support representatives of cryptocurrency exchanges, urging users to verify their accounts by providing sensitive information, ultimately leading to account compromise and financial loss.

9. Authorized Push Payment Scams

Authorized push payment (APP) scams occur when fraudsters trick victims into initiating cryptocurrency transactions to accounts controlled by the scammer. These scams exploit the anonymity and irreversibility of cryptocurrency transactions, making it difficult for victims to recover their funds.

Scammers often use sophisticated tactics, such as offering investment opportunities or trading signal services with insider information, to manipulate victims into sending cryptocurrency payments. Once the payment is made, scammers disappear, leaving victims with no recourse for recovering their funds. For instance, scammers may promise guaranteed profits or exclusive investment opportunities, convincing victims to transfer cryptocurrency to their accounts, only to disappear once the transaction is completed.

10. Fake Crypto Job Listing Scams

Fake crypto job listing scams target individuals seeking employment in the cryptocurrency industry, exploiting their desire to work in a rapidly growing and lucrative field. These scams often advertise fake job opportunities on legitimate job boards or social media platforms, luring job seekers with promises of high salaries, remote work opportunities, and career advancement.

Once victims apply for the job or provide personal information, scammers may request payment for agent fees or training materials, ultimately disappearing with the victim’s money. These scams highlight the importance of conducting thorough research and verifying the legitimacy of job postings before applying or providing any personal information.

How to Spot Crypto Scams

Being able to recognize signs of suspicious activities is very important when it comes to identifying potential crypto scams. Some common red flags include unsolicited investment opportunities promising high returns with low risk, pressure tactics to act quickly without proper due diligence, and requests for personal or financial information through unsecured channels.

Be wary of projects or individuals promoting guaranteed profits or aggressive marketing tactics to solicit investments.

Project Legitimacy Indicators

Assessing the legitimacy of a cryptocurrency project involves scrutinizing various aspects, such as the credibility of the project team, the transparency of project documentation (such as whitepapers), and the presence of a secure and active online community.

Legitimate projects typically have identifiable team members with relevant experience and a clear roadmap outlining project goals and milestones. Credible projects also engage with their community, respond to inquiries transparently, and provide regular updates on project developments.

Payment Requests

One of the most prominent warning signs of a crypto scam is when individuals or projects request upfront payments or investments without providing tangible value or guarantees. Legitimate projects do not require users to send money upfront to participate in token sales, investment opportunities, or job applications.

Be cautious of schemes that promise guaranteed returns or require payment for access to exclusive information or services, as these often indicate fraudulent activities.

Verification of App or Website Authenticity

Verifying the authenticity of cryptocurrency trading apps or websites is essential to avoid falling victim to fake platforms designed to steal funds or personal information. Before downloading or using a crypto app or website, conduct thorough research to ensure its legitimacy:

1. Check for secure website connections (HTTPS);
2. Review user feedback and ratings, and verify the developer’s credentials and reputation;
3. Double-check the app or website URL for any misspellings or discrepancies that may indicate a fraudulent replica of a legitimate platform.

Reporting Crypto Scams

Reporting crypto scams is very important for raising awareness and protecting the community from fraudulent activities.

If you encounter a suspected crypto scam or fraudulent scheme, report it to relevant authorities, regulatory agencies, or consumer protection organizations. By reporting scams promptly, you can help prevent others from falling victim to similar schemes and contribute to a safer crypto ecosystem.

How to Avoid Crypto Scams

Navigating cryptocurrency safely requires awareness, caution, and proactive measures to mitigate the risk of falling victim to scams. Here are some essential steps users can take to avoid crypto scams:

Educate Yourself

Stay informed about common crypto scams and fraudulent schemes prevalent in the industry. Understanding how these scams operate and recognizing their red flags is the first line of defense against potential threats.

Conduct Due Diligence

Before engaging with any cryptocurrency project, platform, or investment opportunity, conduct thorough research. Verify the legitimacy of the project team, review project documentation such as whitepapers, and assess the project’s goals, roadmap, and community engagement.

Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Offers

Be wary of unsolicited investment opportunities, especially those promising guaranteed returns or high profits with low risk. Avoid engaging with individuals or projects that pressure you to act quickly without providing sufficient information or transparency.

Protect Your Private Keys

Safeguard your private keys and never share them with anyone. Private keys grant access to your cryptocurrency wallets and assets; compromising them can result in theft or loss of funds.

Use Secure Platforms and Wallets

Only use reputable cryptocurrency exchanges, wallets, and trading platforms prioritizing security and user protection. Verify the authenticity of apps and websites before downloading or using them, and ensure they employ robust security measures such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and encryption.

Verify Transactions

Before executing any cryptocurrency transactions, double-check the recipient’s address and transaction details to ensure accuracy. Be cautious when copying and pasting wallet addresses to avoid falling victim to address poisoning scams.

Be skeptical of investment opportunities that sound too good to be true or rely heavily on celebrity endorsements or social media hype. Avoid making impulsive decisions based on fear of missing out (FOMO) and prioritize rational decision-making grounded in research and analysis.

Stay Updated on Security Best Practices

Keep abreast of the latest security best practices and trends in the cryptocurrency space. Follow reputable sources, participate in online communities, and engage with knowledgeable individuals to stay informed and proactive in protecting your digital assets.

Conclusion

The rise of cryptocurrency has brought about new opportunities for financial innovation and user empowerment. However, it has also given rise to scams and fraudulent activities targeting unsuspecting investors. As the cryptocurrency ecosystem evolves, remain vigilant and adopt safe practices in their transactions. By educating yourself, conducting due diligence, and exercising caution, you can minimize the risk of falling victim to scams and protect your digital assets.