Crypto scams to look out for

Cryptocurrency investors are being warned to watch out for investment scams involving crypto following a surge in complaints, the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has warned.

Scams often involve someone being persuaded to buy cryptocurrency through a legitimate intermediary and then sending money to what they believe is a genuine investment platform, which is in reality operated by fraudsters.

Between April and June this year, the FOS received 570 complaints about investment scams - this compares with 500 complaints from the same period in 2021.

The 570 complaints made by customers were frequently against their bank, after they had authorised payments which later turned out to involve investment scams.

Nausicaa Delfas, interim chief executive and chief ombudsman at the FOS, said: “We are concerned that, in current economic circumstances, people could be tempted to invest in fake investments. Our advice to consumers is be wary, conduct their own research, check the FCA register and contact the firm directly on the number listed."

Regulators and banks have attempted to crack down on bitcoin and exchanges in an effort to monitor and stem the flow of such scams. In June 2021 the FCA banned cryptocurrency exchange Binance from carrying out any regulated activity in the UK, over concerns about its money laundering controls.

Meanwhile, TSB, HSBC, Santander, Metro Bank, Virgin Money, Tesco Bank and Barclays (opens in new tab) have blocked their British banking customers from transferring money to cryptocurrency exchanges because of fears that the trading platforms are huge fraud risks. 

Lloyds, Halifax and the Bank of Scotland have placed a ban on buying cryptocurrencies on credit cards. The bank continues to assess other types of payment on a case-by-case basis. 

The NatWest Group caps the daily spending limit to any crypto exchange and blocks all payments to specific firms where it sees certain levels of fraud.

Cryptocurrencies are volatile and fluctuate in price dramatically within days. This makes it easier for scammers to trick people into investing. So too does the fact that digital currencies are determined by software that few of us truly understand.

To help you stay safe, we explain the crypto scams to look out for. 

1. Offers to invest in a new cryptocurrency that doesn’t actually exist 

When a cryptocurrency is offered before it’s launched to the market, it’s called an ICO (similar to a new stock’s IPO). But sometimes these new coins are fabricated and an investor puts their cash into a cryptocurrency that does not exist. 

OneCoin, an infamous crypto fraud, convinced people between 2015 and 2017 to invest in what turned out to be a Ponzi scheme. PlusToken, which presented itself as a South Korean crypto exchange and wallet provider and attracted two million investors between May 2018 and June 2019 also turned out to be a Ponzi scheme. Michael Burry, an American investor who shot to fame when he bet against the mortgage securities before the 2008 financial crisis says: “An estimated 10,000 new coins have been minted this year - who can say how many will turn out to be shams?” 

It’s imperative to research any cryptocurrency before you invest. Check who the founders are and read the project’s white paper. Is it only available to buy on a single platform or a closed ecosystem of platforms? Are you only able to buy it through encouraging others to buy? Then it’s at risk of being a Ponzi coin. Not every coin has to be available on every exchange but good ones should be available on multiple, reputable platforms.  If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. If you are a beginner investor it is wiser to stick to established coins such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

2.  Crypto pump and dump scams 

This kind of scam is nothing new, though normally focused on the equity markets. A small group of investors may pump a lot of money into a specific crypto - to falsely inflate the price and create the illusion of demand - and then trick others to also invest. The original investors go on to sell their shares for a notable profit before the price falls again. 

The most high-profile case of this kind involved the deceased tech entrepreneur John McAfee. Between 2017 and 2018, McAfee promoted certain coins via his Twitter account after he and others had already purchased large quantities that they went on to sell once the price pumped. It involved Dogecoin and ReddCoin. 

Again, do your research and look out for coins that have increased a lot in value without any concrete reason why. And avoid FOMO!

3.  Cryptojacking 

Cryptojacking is when the processing power of a computer is used to mine cryptocurrency without the permission of the machine’s owner. A program is loaded onto the user’s computer, usually through the browser when they visit a site with a video or some other interactive element. The program then begins to solve computational problems that generate rewards in the form of cryptocurrency - this process is known as mining. The scammer reaps the rewards without any compensation for the computer user.

This happened in 2018 when thousands of government websites, including those of the NHS and several English councils, were infected by malware. 

Look out for your computer slowing down - mining uses electricity at an increased rate and often prevents the computer from operating normally.

4. A crypto wallet that can be accessed 

Scammers have attempted to steal crypto wallets from investors by sending them fake hardware and a letter claiming the investor’s existing device isn’t secure. Ledger, the wallet tech firm that provides security for crypto assets, suffered a data breach in 2020 that affected one million email addresses and almost 10,000 pieces of personal information. This information has since been used to try to steal crypto wallets from investors. 

The scam involved a modified Nano X (a Ledger product that allows you to store the digital keys used to secure a crypto wallet) being sent in original packaging with a letter claiming to be from Ledger’s chief executive. The letter claimed the intended victim’s personal information was affected by the data breach and that Ledger intended to switch to the new device as a result. 

Again, do your due diligence. Ledger provides a guide that includes pictures to check the integrity of its hardware - it’s worth following this guide for every Nano X, even when you have personally ordered it. And be aware nobody needs to know your private keys - no reputable company will ask you for it.

5.  The celebrity bitcoin scam 

Some scams involve adverts with a fake celebrity endorsement on a website promoting high returns from cryptocurrency. The websites look legitimate as they are convincingly designed to look like pages from the BBC or Mirror. Celebrities used on these fake websites include highly-regarded or much-loved faces such as Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones from Dragon’s Den, Ant McPartlin, Simon Cowell and Holly Willoughby. 

The scam slowly reveals itself when you notice a story of one of the celebrities and clicking on it takes you to a third-party page which appears to be a legitimate website for investors. It describes how the celebrity was impressed with a bitcoin investment scheme on an episode of a show. At the bottom of the page is a form where you can express interest by submitting your name, email and phone number. 

A short time later a so-called investment manager calls you and encourages you to buy £250 worth of bitcoin. From there you receive a link and login details to a so-called trading platform where you can see your bitcoin being held and appearing to increase. The investment manager calls frequently and encourages you to buy more, releasing small amounts - or so-called profits - to your bank account to lull you into a sense of security to carry on investing. Months down the line when you are keen to withdraw all your money, the manager instructs you to pay their commission into their bank account and await a call about releasing your funds - a call that never happens. 

Be sceptical of grand claims of high returns and seek independent financial advice.

6.  Social media and dating app scams

Scammers often exploit people looking to make meaningful connections. There are cases of users of dating apps being convinced to sign up to fake crypto investments and hand over thousands of pounds. 

SEE MORE: Top WhatsApp scams to avoid in 2022

Such scammers will win your trust by telling a story about themselves to make them seem reliable. They will often ask for your contact information straightaway to continue the conversation off the dating app, as they know they could get banned quickly. Never send any money and use the dating app’s messaging system until you decide to meet in person.

Additional reporting by the Press Association