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Cryptocurrency Investment Scams
Fake crypto platforms and "pig butchering" schemes promise massive returns then disappear with your investment.
$3.96B
Annual losses (US)
40,000+ annually (US)
Reported victims/year
Report Now
FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
🎭 How Scammers Do It: Tactics
- ▸ "Pig butchering" — build romantic or friendly relationship before introducing fake investment platform
- ▸ Create professional-looking fake crypto exchange websites
- ▸ Show fabricated profits in dashboard to encourage more deposits
- ▸ Allow small initial withdrawals to build trust
- ▸ Demand "taxes" or "fees" before allowing withdrawal — then disappear
- ▸ Claim to have insider trading tips or AI-powered trading bots
🚩 Red Flags: Stop If You See These
⚠ Promise of guaranteed high returns (10%+ monthly)
⚠ Investment platform introduced by a romantic interest or new friend
⚠ Platform is not listed on CoinMarketCap or Coingecko
⚠ Cannot withdraw funds without paying additional fees
⚠ Platform only accessible via app link sent by the "advisor"
⚠ Celebrity endorsements that seem out of character
⚠ Pressure to recruit others to invest
🛡️ How to Protect Yourself
1. Only use well-known, regulated exchanges (Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini)
2. Never invest based on social media or dating app recommendations
3. Verify any platform is registered with SEC or CFTC
4. Be extremely skeptical of guaranteed returns
5. Research any platform on crypto scam databases before depositing
6. Never pay fees to withdraw your own money
📋 How to Report This Scam
Report to FTC, FBI IC3, CFTC (cftc.gov/complaint), and SEC (sec.gov/tcr).