Guide · 6 min read
Crypto Investment Scams: Spotting 'Guaranteed Returns' Offers
Quick answer
Any offer of guaranteed or daily crypto returns, especially from a new online friend, is a strong scam signal. If you must pay fees to withdraw, the balance is not real.
Investment scams often start as a wrong-number text or a friendly chat. Over weeks, the scammer builds trust before introducing an 'opportunity'.
Warning signs
- Guaranteed or very high returns, such as a fixed percent every day.
- 'Zero risk' or 'limited slots today' language.
- A platform or app you've never heard of that shows fast gains.
- Fees or 'taxes' you must pay before you can withdraw.
- A new online friend who coaches you personally on what to buy.
Why withdrawals fail
Fake platforms display rising balances to encourage larger deposits. When you try to withdraw, new fees appear. The balance was never real.
What to do
Stop sending money, save all messages and wallet addresses, and report to your local fraud authority. In the US, that includes the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov.