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At first, scammers tried to get you to wire them money. Then, they demanded payment with gift cards. Now, scammers are luring people into paying them with Bitcoin – a type of digital money or cryptocurrency. Read on to learn how to spot and avoid some of the top ways scammers are trying to get you to pay with Bitcoin.

1. Blackmail Scam. Someone says they know about an alleged affair, or something else embarrassing to you, and demands payments with Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency in exchange for keeping quiet. This scammers might use threats, intimidation, and high-pressure tactics to get you to pay right away. But, as we wrote in this blog post, that’s not only a scam, but also a criminal extortion attempt. Report it to the local police, the FBI, and the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

2. Online Chain Referral Schemes. This type of scam works like a chain letter: someone promises that you’ll make money if you pay into the scheme. But, in a twist, these scammers say you have to use cryptocurrency to pay for the right to recruit other people into the chain…so that you’ll then be rewarded with more cryptocurrency. Except you won’t. Instead, you’re guaranteed to lose money.

3. Bogus Investment and Business Opportunities. Someone might offer you investment and business opportunities that promise to make you big money, or give you financial freedom. But remember, only a scammer will guarantee that you will make money — in dollars or in cryptocurrency.

For more tips on avoiding scams, check out How to Avoid a Scam. Spot a cryptocurrency scam? Tell us at ftc.gov/complaint.

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Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts

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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
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  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

Essentialworker
May 01, 2020
I just received the same kind of email this afternoon at 4:46pm from a Tabina Castle....stating they have embarrassing video footage of me and if I don’t pay $2,000 bitcoin within the next 24 hrs it’ll be sent to 9 random contacts of mine. Stating “how will I be able to look anyone in the eye” and I will live a life of guilt.....has anyone actually followed through with these threats? And who do I report this too? I’m very shaken up about this. Please help!
Momz
May 28, 2020

In reply to by Essentialworker

I just got the exact same I did today, in a text. Reported it to FTC and deleted it
Male 65
May 27, 2020
Just got my second one, sender Jerome mcvarish qydlincxxz@ What a pain !
ihatescammers
May 03, 2020
Recently changed Comcast password. A scammer acquired the old password (are companies like Comcast allowed to sell old passwords?) and wrote it as the subject of the threatening email.
TH
May 04, 2020
I received the same email from Philip Anderson requesting 1137$ in bitcoin or he was going to share a video of me watching porn. I opened the email because the subject line had a password that I used. I deleted reported to FBI and FTC.
J11
May 27, 2020
Got one today from Hetty Oden zzoliverowyg@ saying to send USD 3000 in BTC he even had 1 of my passwords.
nessi
May 05, 2020
My husband is in a scam with CYMPA Investments. My husband has to send money at a ATM through Bitcoins. I told him that this is a scam. He believes it is at home work from the listed company. The company is in Canada. Has anyone heard about this scam? Please advise.
Sisi
July 14, 2020

In reply to by nessi

I just got the same job offer. I come from Nigeria and live in Canada so it’s a surprise to see these emails pop up constantly on my inbox. Been googling this Cympa investments and it does seem like a money laundering scheme. I think this type of scam is called “Employment” back in Nigeria and they target people who’ve posted their resumes online. Thank God I read your comment as it’s the only actual red flag raised by an actual person about this company that I could find on google search. You should tell your husband to quit as it’s him that’s going to face the repercussions...
Gypsy
May 06, 2020
I have received 2 letters with thin 3 days the 1st one came to me saying their name was Jodee Tranmer and the other was from Eartha Huisman. The 1st one wanted $2000 in bit coin this 2nd 1 Wanted $3000 in bit coin. How can I stop getting knees they are very rude And they talk about doing things and watching me on a camera I am an elderly lady and I don't like this kind of stuff.
LadyJ
May 07, 2020
Yes received am email today from Bruis Shefte with an outlook address with the exact same thing about porn and a video of me on my pc which I never use a computer telling me I have one day to send 5000 usd bitcoins or the video will be shared through Facebook
GS1
May 12, 2020
Also a victim of this "porn" scam with a password revealed in email to one of my not so important subscriptions. Wondering that is common for all of us here - which site or service we used in the past which got hacked to know our email and password to that site/account.... Probably for FBI to figure out. Also reported as a crime with complete email headers attached, although no hope that this bastard will be traced via that.
waltebe
May 13, 2020
Just happened to me today. Email from Griffie advising he’s going to send out porn videos of me to 4 of my contacts if I don’t wire 2k for bitcoin. Says he has my FB contacts and phone contacts. The subject line in the email was a password that I don’t use for anything private.
sl
May 13, 2020
Received a scam email asking for bitcoin payment. Person knew one of my old passwords.
ssayers
May 18, 2020
I got the exact same email reporting it to the police! Glad I found website.
Notahappy camper
May 21, 2020
I just got one, but it was a text. It was sent to my phone but threatening my husband. Are they moving in to phone scams now?
Tiredofscammers
May 25, 2020

In reply to by Notahappy camper

I received a text today as well. I’ve received emails through the years like people have described but this was the first text message. Did the text messages continue? If so, were you successful blocking the number?
Facepalm
May 25, 2020

In reply to by Notahappy camper

Also got one of these via text directed to me. Someone also recently posted a bogus ad on Craigslist under my username selling tires. I'm working on changing all passwords. Wanted to share this to report that this is also happening through text message.
2020
May 25, 2020

In reply to by Notahappy camper

I just received a text message that claimed to release pornographic material of me if I didn't pay within 24 hours. So tired of these creeps.
Carl
May 22, 2020
I received two messages via text message threatening to release embarrassing video caught on my web-cam watching porn and included they would send video out to 10 of my friends and included what they said was one of my passwords"right" both times the texts were from different phone numbers and they wanted $3000 in bit-coin.. lol fricking idiots...
BD
May 22, 2020
I received two text messages, not email. I blocked the first one and the second text message used a different phone number which i also in turn blocked. they said they know where i live and commented on my house. asked for money via Bitcoin etc. and gave me bizarre address to send money to. i reported to my AT&T Service provider and to FTC. I hope someone can stop these. I did not reply to the text message and would like to know if my phone is compromised. How can i tell if he/she really has my contacts, chat record, etc. ?
j
May 23, 2020
I received a couple of these "porn threats" via text last 2 days demanding Bitcoin within 24 hrs. I see most folks are getting emails. They also refer to an old password. 2nd text even makes reference to my address which was a bit unnerving, but I know it is public. Curse all scammers.
Baseballgirl
May 24, 2020
I received a text message today claiming that they had installed malware on my phone and had video of me. They claimed to know everything about me and wanted 1500 BTC in 24 hrs. I laughed because they didn’t ask for $1500 in bitcoin but 1500 BTC. That’s approximately $13.5 million. Lol. Deleted and blocked the number.
Carolinachic
May 26, 2020
I got the same threat last night by text instead of email. I didn't think to report it first and just deleted it. Dagnabbit!!
Udara
May 28, 2020
Hi, I want to know is there anyway that scammers can show us in our blockchain account that We have gain lots of money
Len
May 29, 2020
The same type of scam happened to me on 5/28/20 by a person named, Kimberly Lesnar. She did not get any money, but did use my FB page to send notices out to some of my friends.
Rooster1977
May 31, 2020
A escort just had my brother pay 50 dollar in bitcoins for her to book him for a appointment and then he called me and i think its a scam he believes her but i think she is in snothet country cashing in somewhere.
CSG
June 10, 2020
My mother got one of these emails today. Who do I report it to?
Sophia
June 10, 2020
Thankfully I only lost 1100 and stopped it there! Biocoin! Don't do it
CJ
June 11, 2020
I received a threatening email in regards to them wanting $2000 in bitcoin from Ona Eubanks saying they hacked my website. They are sadly mistaken if they think I would even consider being swindled! smh
reporting scam site
June 12, 2020
3AkjnTzYSXnFFknipphZTBevaX9zbMbZ4K this is scamer bitcoin link. pls ban
RTH
June 30, 2020
The scam came by first receiving an alleged call from our son, who lives out of state and was in a car accident and was injured and was in the county jail under a DUI arrest. The voice sounded like our son and asked us to call 'his court appointed lawyer'. A legal system we knew practically nothing about. We did and emotions and lack of verifications we should have done, we were out $6000. We were asked to deposit the funds through a coin cloud machine then send screen shots of the transactions to a provided QR. We're in our late sixties and do not have much in the way of savings, we have less now. Very slick these operators were as three phone numbers were involved besides our own during this scam. Beware friends, they are out there.
Ybynot1979
June 30, 2020
Please stop these scammers from contacting me
KIB
July 22, 2020
Does anyone know what will happen if someone was scammed and reports? Is there any chance of an individual getting money back? A family member of mine fell for the scam and we've filed a complaint, but will we be able to actually receive any financial compensation?
Vergil
August 03, 2020
I receive an offer to invest in a bitcoin mining company call 24CyptoMoney. He claimed that I would invest $500 worth of bitcoin and then they would mine for me and in 7 days I would make $5,500. When I asked for details I got stock sales lines . I asked for the website and instead of clicking the link I typed it into google and nothing came up. His username was "frank_mining_limited" goes by "James Frank". Watch out Fam.
Scott Ling
August 17, 2020

In reply to by Vergil

too good to be true, so am not the only one experiencing this, it will be nice to keep reporting this scams here.
daffers234
August 06, 2020
I just had someone try to scam me off a dating site. He claimed he wanted me to send Bitcoin so he could turn it into money and send it back to me, because he wanted to help me because I'm "struggling." (I had told him some things going on in my life, but I am by no means struggling.) The whole thing was crazy and really obvious.
DGaz2020
August 10, 2020
Ask by a man I met online dating to send Bitcoins to his daughter for her birthday and he’d pay me back when he got home. I really like this guy, I thought not sure if it’s even real or him. He’s out of the Country so can’t download to send it himself. Originally $500, I said I’d try, then I told him there would be 7.99% charge, ask me to add extra money, then said can you up it to $700. I was supposed to do this today, and it’s very upsetting to think a man who says he loves me, is actually a scammer. Maybe not, I don’t know how to find out. I started researching to understand why Bitcoins bc I didn’t know what it was. I use Cash App, told him to download the app and then d talk him through sending money internationally, kept saying won’t download bc of where he is. I’ve been talking to this man for several months, but he got pictures he sent of his job, his supposed daughter. I’m so disheartened that I could fall for this.
BlessedRe777
August 14, 2020
I had someone contact me through Snapchat claiming they got it off the website somewhere saying his name was Marc and texted from text app numbers .. how can I report anything if it’s fake numbers I’m getting threatened from
Missy
September 24, 2020
Hello is 362liveoptions a real trading platform. I think I may have been scammed https://362liveoption.com/
Christopher76
August 14, 2020
Is there anything like mining fee after mining Bitcoin...? They said I have to pay a mining fee before they pay the money into my account... please help me
John
September 30, 2020
Hi . Scam about Binance-expert I wanted to invest 200 . But I made a payment of 190$ . They asked me to deposit 200$ again . Due to high charges payment made was 199$ just 1$ less . When i made the payment of 200$ . I was upgraded to vip plan where i have to invest 300$ more . After a long argument they said you will not get profit . I had to invet more 300$ . After that they asked money for company certificate ,ip address and antiminner . It went upto 1800$ . The company and the manager ( manager ) doesn't reply to messages and email. Binance expert scam company
Jorg
September 08, 2020
I got an email today about shaming me as they had been recording me during ‘private times’ and we’re going to send that video to all of my contacts if I didn’t send $300 bitcoin. My question is, the email came from me. I can’t block my own email!! What do I do?
Brangelo
September 27, 2020
Believe I just got scammed. Bought bitcoin, sent it to where I was given the address. Now asking for more funds for payment fees and can't tell me where the bitcoin went. TEARS!!!
Sreenr
October 28, 2020
This is another whatsapp number +60 16-269 5100 with name Lucy stating to invest money for their gold scheme which is a complete fraud. Apart from another whatsapp number +91 70925 99606 named Annac from Ejohri which also intends to invest money on gold. Online Consumer gets duped on daily basis from their sweet talk or by framing a excellent day dream billionaire story. When the same thing was reported to cybersecurity police officers in Mumbai, they were asking myself to come over and get all emails shown in physical presence. While I had already passed on all emails and whatsapp communication to the cybersecurity team. Beware of online scams due to covid and pandemic people have lost their jobs and getting trapped into such fraudulent schemes apart from those online job guarantee job portals like shine.com wisdom.com and other's. This are new upgraded thief's out their in web presence.
boston
November 24, 2020
I received an email today asking for $700 on Bitkoin. The email threated me with "posting videos pleasing myself while watching a video on the web". I reported to the FBI. I hope they take care of this issue because it is not fare that in times like these people take advantage of others.
Citizen
December 03, 2020
They sent an email to my wife and it appears to be from her email as well. Although, there is no sent file from her email acct.
GlassSlipper
December 23, 2020
I received an email with a job offer and they said they would pay me in Bitcoin and they also said a part of the job was purchasing Bitcoin. They used the name of a legitimate company, but I doubt that person works there.
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