Most crypto scams share the same building blocks. Once you can see them, they are hard to miss. Use this 15 point checklist before you invest, before you send crypto to anyone and before you trust a new contact. If you tick three or more, stop.
About the people
- ✗ 6. A stranger contacted you first
- ✗ 7. They moved you to WhatsApp or Telegram quickly
- ✗ 8. They asked you to keep it secret
- ✗ 9. They claim to be from a bank, regulator or police
- ✗ 10. A romance or friendship turned to investing
Already ticked too many boxes?
Report it to AEDFIX for a free review.
About the platform
- ✗ 11. No regulator you can verify
- ✗ 12. A website only a few months old
- ✗ 13. An app from a link, not an official store
- ✗ 14. Withdrawals need a fee, tax or upgrade
- ✗ 15. They ask for remote access or your seed phrase
How to use this list
One red flag can have an innocent explanation. Three or more together is a pattern. Number 14 and number 15 on their own are enough to stop: real platforms do not charge you to withdraw your own money, and nobody legitimate needs your seed phrase or control of your screen.
Check before you trust
- Search the company on the FCA Warning List and the IOSCO I-SCAN.
- Look up the domain age with a WHOIS search.
- Search the name with scam and withdrawal on Google, Bing, YouTube and TikTok.
- Ask a trusted friend to look at it with fresh eyes.
- Try a small withdrawal before adding more.
If you ticked boxes after paying
Stop sending money. Save screenshots, chats, receipts, wallet addresses and transaction hashes. Call your bank about any card or bank payments. Report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Action Fraud, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or Scamwatch. Then get your case reviewed.
Print it, share it
Share this checklist with family and friends, especially anyone new to crypto. Scammers rely on people not knowing the signs. A list on the fridge or a message to a group chat can stop a loss before it starts.
Why the checklist works
Scammers change names, websites and stories all the time, but they cannot easily change the method. They still need you to trust a stranger, believe an impossible return, act quickly and send money in a way that is hard to reverse. Each item on this list is one of those needs. Spot them, and the story falls apart.
Can a scam have none of these signs?
Rarely. Most scams show several, but stay cautious with any unexpected offer.
What if a friend recommended it?
Friends can be fooled or hacked. Run the checklist anyway.
A quick test with the list
Imagine a message from a friendly stranger on Instagram, about a platform that pays 2% a day, where you must deposit USDT through a link and keep it between the two of you. Count the flags: a stranger contacted you first, fixed returns, returns far above normal markets, crypto only payment, secrecy, an app from a link. That is six. You do not need to know anything else to say no.
About the offer
- ✗ 1. Guaranteed or fixed returns
- ✗ 2. Profits far above normal markets
- ✗ 3. Pressure to act today or miss out
- ✗ 4. A bonus that locks your deposit
- ✗ 5. Payment only in crypto or gift cards
crypto scam red flags: In a nutshell
- Three or more red flags means stop.
- Withdrawal fees and seed phrase requests mean stop now.
- Verify regulators and domain age.
- Share the list with family.
crypto scam red flags: Other guides worth a look
- Letter to Your Bank After a Crypto Scam: A Template
- Fake Regulator Emails and Letters: How to Check Them
- Crypto Pump and Dump: How Token Buyers Get Trapped
- Binance P2P Scams: Traps for Buyers and Sellers
- Reporting a Crypto Scam to Police and the FBI
Search AEDFIX crypto scam red flags on Google, Bing, YouTube, TikTok or ask ChatGPT.
#cryptoscamredflags #scamchecklist #cryptoscam #investmentscam #scamalert #aedfix
General information only. AEDFIX does not promise any recovery outcome.
