A Pro’s Guide on How to Spot Bitcoin Scammers
This bitcoin investment fund promised customers up to 4% in weekly returns on their bitcoin inputs. In addition, it promised varying levels of commission when you referred other customers to the scheme. Unsurprisingly, the case is being investigated as a suspected pyramid play.
- You can buy cryptocurrency through an exchange, an app, a website, or a cryptocurrency ATM.
- Bitcoin and Ether are well-known cryptocurrencies, but there are many different cryptocurrencies, and new ones keep being created.
- The “Digmine” malware is designed to mine monero (a private alternative to bitcoin) for its creators.
- The Ponzi scheme is one of the oldest and most famous scams, yet people continue to fall for it constantly.
Navigating the Minefield: Understanding Bitcoin Scams
Then he found he couldn’t withdraw his money from the new crypto exchange account, at which point he realized it was all a long con. Bitcoin’s meteoric rise has dovetailed with the mass adoption of dating apps that make it really easy to find new romantic partners. While that may be a boon for people who are looking for love, it’s also a goldmine for scammers. While the brashest crypto scams end up in the headlines, like the case of a Las Vegas poker player who pilfered $500,000 from another card shark, most shakedowns are more prosaic.
What is cryptocurrency?
Bitcoin mining group scams, on the other hand, operate by offering investors the chance to ‘mine’ bitcoins without dealing with the hardware and maintenance required. Also called bitcoin cloud mining, these companies scam investors by promising fast and easy return on investment. While legitimate bitcoin mining groups do exist, there are very few left that can still turn a decent profit, if at all. The best way to avoid using any fake platforms is to only use reputable cryptocurrency exchanges and Bitcoin wallets. Before you register an account, be sure to have a look at online reviews and search for any scam alerts. Registered companies or regulated exchanges are far less likely to be scams.
Contacting Consumer Protection and Financial Authorities
One of the most striking features of Bitcoin scams is the anonymity afforded by blockchain technology. Unlike traditional transactions, what happens once xrp hits $10 Bitcoin transfers are both anonymous and irreversible. None of its content should be treated as financial or investment advice.
Instead, people are investing in large mining companies, or using cloud mining services in an attempt to turn a profit. Bittrex issued a warning to users in December 2017 to be wary of such scams. Groups with names like “Crypto4pumps https://cryptolisting.org/ and Bigcryptopumps” apparently use private Telegram apps to facilitate the schemes. Bittrex lists almost 300 different coins and tokens, some of which could be easily manipulated with enough investors on board.
For example, if something sounds like a pyramid scheme, it could well be a pyramid scheme, even if others are investing in it. With the skyrocketing values of bitcoin we saw last year, it’s now more believable that you can make 10% or even 100% monthly returns. But, in reality, anyone who guarantees large returns is probably doing something shady. The latest major case of an attack involving bitcoin allegedly happened in Moscow.
Think of schemes that use threatening phone calls, a desperate plea for money or a demand to transfer sums of cash or else. The scheme involved the scammers posing as admins on the Seele Telegram channel. They got investors to “buy” tokens in exchange for ether before the sale had actually begun, and walked away with the resulting stash. The main difference here is investors typically expect a return when funding an ICO.
Whilst you can buy goods and services with Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency is less a payment currency and more a speculative asset. Seek independent verification via friends, social media or even the companies own website itself. The best way to do this is to Google the company and directly call them.
For example, you wouldn’t open up a bank account with an institution you’ve never heard of. Similarly, you shouldn’t hand over money to an exchange that just happened to pop up in your Facebook feed. Scammers follow the money, and because cryptocurrency is a lucrative investment venture, you’ll find scams there, too.
It’s a store of value that not only doesn’t take any physical form, but also lacks any backing by the full faith and credit of a sovereign government. There have been reports of investors being robbed by hackers impersonating admins for ICO sales. The “Digmine” malware is designed to mine monero (a private alternative to bitcoin) for its creators. It spreads via the desktop version of Facebook Messenger within the Chrome browser and is disguised as a video file.
Your best defence against scams is knowledge, awareness, and your gut feeling. You can develop your knowledge and awareness by keeping up with the latest cryptocurrency news. This information needs to come from websites that provide sources and links to their posts, and which cover the broader cryptocurrency and Blockchain sector. Similar to Romance Scams described above, this version instead uses the trust that’s built up to encourage the victim to “invest” in crypto. When they then seek help from the scammers as to how to do this they’re directed to fraudulent exchanges, websites or investment opportunities.