Crypto scams · 8 cases
Social engineering
No technical flaw here: the blockchain works perfectly, and it is the victim who signs or hands over their seed phrase. Fake support, fake advisor, the boss deepfake, the romance scam: every case in this family takes a manipulation script apart, along with the reflex that would have foiled it.
The fake recruiter
- How it works
- A too-good-to-be-true job offer ends with a “technical test” to download: it hides spyware that reads your keys.
- Warning sign
- An unusual salary, and a file to run on your computer.
- The reflex
- Never run a stranger's file on the device that holds your wallets.
The case
The Fake Recruiter
A dream job, one last test to run. That same evening, her wallet was empty.
SIM swap
- How it works
- The scammer poses as you with your carrier and takes over your number: they then receive your login codes by text.
- Warning sign
- Your phone suddenly loses all signal, for no reason.
- The reflex
- Prefer an authenticator app to text codes, and protect your line with a PIN at your carrier.
The case
The SIM Swap
Her phone loses signal. Ten minutes later, her account is drained.
Fake support
- How it works
- In a group or on social media, a “support agent” contacts you privately to help, then asks for your seed phrase or has you sign on a fake site.
- Warning sign
- Someone contacts you privately and asks for your seed phrase.
- The reflex
- No support team ever asks for your seed phrase. Always go through the official site.
The case
The Fake Support
A very helpful “support agent” got her to type her secret phrase.
The boss deepfake
- How it works
- A video call from an executive, face and voice recreated by an AI from their public videos, orders an urgent and confidential transfer.
- Warning sign
- Urgency, secrecy, and an unusual transfer requested by call or message.
- The reflex
- For any urgent transfer, call the person back on a known number and get a colleague to approve.
The case
The Boss's Voice
A video call from the CEO: same face, same voice. Two million to wire before 6 pm.
The fake recovery agent
- How it works
- After a first scam, fake experts or fake lawyers promise to recover the funds, for fees paid in advance.
- Warning sign
- Someone contacts you to recover what you lost, and asks for money first.
- The reflex
- Nobody recovers stolen crypto for an upfront fee: it is the same scam, a second time.
The case
The Fake Recovery Agent
After the scam, a firm promises to recover everything. For a fee paid upfront.
The fake bank advisor
- How it works
- On the phone, a fake advisor says your account has been hacked and guides you to “put your savings somewhere safe”, actually to their own addresses.
- Warning sign
- An unexpected call, urgency, and a request to move your money.
- The reflex
- Hang up, then call your bank back on the number you know.
The case
The Fake Advisor
“Your account has been hacked.” A fake advisor walks a retiree to a crypto ATM.
The romance scam
- How it works
- A relationship born online, weeks of messages, then an investment “tip”: the gains on screen keep rising, but no withdrawal ever goes through.
- Warning sign
- Someone you met online soon talks about money and a platform.
- The reflex
- Never invest on the advice of someone you have never met.
The case
The Romance Scam
Weeks of sweet words, then an investment tip. The gains were only a chart.
Email sextortion
- How it works
- An email claims to have filmed you through your webcam and demands bitcoin. To seem credible, it quotes an old password taken from a data leak.
- Warning sign
- An old password as proof, a countdown, a payment in crypto.
- The reflex
- Never pay email blackmail: change the quoted password and turn on two-factor authentication.
The case
The Webcam Blackmail
“I filmed you through your webcam.” As proof, the email quoted his old password.