Scam guides › Crypto / investment scam
Crypto investment scams: "guaranteed" returns and fake trading apps
Updated . By the AskBeforeYouSend editorial team (how we fact-check). Fact-checked against the official sources listed at the bottom.
Short answer: Anyone who guarantees profits or tells you to send crypto to their platform is a scammer. The FTC says nobody can guarantee crypto returns, and the FBI's IC3 says investment fraud was the biggest loss category for people 60 and older in 2025, at about $3.5 billion.
What it looks like
My uncle is a market analyst. Join our trading platform: guaranteed 30% weekly returns. Deposit USDT to this wallet address to start.
A made-up example. These often start as a friendly wrong-number text or a romance.
How the scam works
- A new online friend, a "mentor" or a group chat shows you how much they've made.
- They send you to a website or app where your balance seems to grow.
- When you try to withdraw, there are fees or taxes to pay first, and then they disappear.
Red flags
- Guaranteed or very high returns
- A stranger or online friend who wants to teach you to invest
- Sending crypto to someone else's wallet
- A "withdrawal fee" before you can get your money
What to do now
- Don't send more money, even to "unlock" a withdrawal.
- Be wary of anyone offering to recover your money for a fee.
- Report it to IC3 and the FTC, and to the crypto exchange you used.
Never send money, gift cards, crypto or verification codes because of a call, text or message. Hang up and call the real number.
Report it
Questions
Someone says they can recover my lost crypto for a fee. Is that real?
Be very careful. Requests for upfront fees to recover money are a known follow-up scam. Report to IC3 instead.
Sources
- FTC: What to know about cryptocurrency and scams
- FTC: Investment scams
- FBI IC3: Elder fraud brochure
- FBI IC3 2025 Internet Crime Report
Example messages are made up to show the pattern unless we say otherwise. Phone numbers in examples use the fictional 555 range.
Get next week's scam before it reaches you
One short email a week: the newest scam going around, a real example, the warning signs, and exactly what to do. Free, always. Plus a free printable Scam-Proof Fridge Sheet and Family Safety Checklist.