How To Get Scammed In Crypto
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If you think you are the smartest guy in the crypto space you might want to rethink that because lately more smart people are getting scammed. I am sure now you are wondering how, well most scams today aren't as obvious as the old ones. A big example is a user who fell for an exchange scam thinking they were the authentic exchange site. You think that guy wasn't smart enough? The scammers created a very identical site as a trap for many unsuspecting users. These days even with two factor authentication you could still be hacked just like the case of Coinbase so if you think you know it all you still need to check this out.
First on my list are technical support scams because till today atleast 5% of the crypto space population still fall for these scams. These scammers usually pose as technical support trying to offer unsolicited help while getting your personal info. A big example are telegram groups, most new projects today have telegram or discord groups to assist investors and even though they advise members to be careful of people who claim to be admins or support many still fall for their ploys. When a member asks a question on these groups they send them private messages claiming to be able to help them. By providing vital information to these scammers they syphone all their assets and with the nature of the crypto world they get compensation from no one except to lick their wounds and move on.
Second are the fake sites. The crypto world is still in it's nascent stage and with so many new projects springing up it can be very hard to tell Peter from Paul. Most especially among people who participate in alot of airdrops in an effort to be a part of profitable projects early.
Due to the excitement many don't take time to double check these sites or their credibility before registering. Most of these sites ask for very personal info that shouldn't be shared at all in public while posing as airdrop site. They exchange a couple of fake coins for vital information that can be sold to other scammers or even used themselves to steal from you. Smarter ones won't take action immediately but wait for a longer period so you can wonder even harder how your wallet got emptied overnight.
And lastly load up scams. It's funny that most supposedly smart people fall for these kind of scams but I believe its actually as a result of their greed. These scammers ask for your crypto wallet directly with claims of needing an account with higer limit while promising you a nice percentage in return. For example suppose they need an account for over $50,000, they'll promise a 20% or more profit to the owner. Gullible smart people agree and send all vital information to these people but what they don't understand is that they would be using your account as a stolen loot dump ground. You will actually see the money get into your account but you won't be able to use or smell it as it will be transferred immediately while using you as a diversion for security agencies.
There are many other types of scams as well like fake investment scams but it is always advisable that one does proper research and double check before taking financial decisions in the space. You could also report to the crypto exchange that might be related to the scam or the US securities and exchange commission should you suspect anything unusual.