50 Recent Crypto Scams of 2025 to Avoid Like the Plague

50 Recent Crypto Scams of 2025 to Avoid Like the Plague

Crypto fraud continues evolving—scammers are using AI, social media, and deepfake tech to pull off elaborate investment scams. Here’s a comprehensive guide to 50 prominent schemes that emerged in 2025, complete with real victim warnings and red flags to watch for.

1–10: Deepfake, AI, and Pump–Dump Scams

1. X-Chain Ponzi Scheme – Promising 200% returns in 60 days; lost over $1.2B across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. (ICO Desk | Crypto News)
2. Deepfake Exchange CEO Scam – Scammers used deepfake livestreams of CEOs offering ETH/BTC giveaways; scammed $75M within 72 hours. (ICO Desk | Crypto News)
3. MetaFarm Token Rug Pull – Pre-launch amassed $300M in NFT investments; liquidity drained within 48 hours. (ICO Desk | Crypto News)
4. Fake SEC-Approved Stablecoin – A bogus coin called TruUSDX falsely claimed U.S. SEC approval; caused investor losses of $90M. (ICO Desk | Crypto News)
5. Elon Deepfake Giveaway – Fake Elon Musk livestream promised doubled BTC; victims lost millions. (Medium)
6. Cathie Wood ARK Deepfake – A duped tech expert mistakenly promoted a fake “ARK 21” crypto, leading to $700K in Solana and ETH losses. (Medium)
7. Warren Buffett Deepfake – “BuffettCoin” pump-and-dump exploited public trust; $300K in Ripple tokens stolen. (Medium)
8. “CryptoProfitPool” Ponzi – Promised astronomical AI-based returns; collapsed in January 2025 with $120M in losses. (LinkedIn)
9. CBEX AI Package Scam – Selling “Gold-tier AI bot” for trading, worth $10K but never delivered. (bitcryptonova)
10. NovaTech MLN Ponzi – Pumped via referrals and fake promises; raised $650M before facing SEC charges. (imzansi.com)

11–20: Crypto ATM & Romance-Style Contact Scams

11. Tasmania Crypto ATM Scam – Elderly victims coerced into crypto ATMs, losing up to $750K each. (Herald Sun)
12. $LIBRA Meme Coin – Argentina’s president promoted it, triggered a $250M crash and investigation. (Wikipedia)
13. Hyderabad IT Scam – A tech worker lost ₹67 lakh to a fake crypto site. (The Times of India)
14. Cash Reclamation Scam – One victim lost $1.9M AUD after being led through contact by a stranger posing as a “rescuer.” (News.com.au)
15. Bitcoin Arbitrage Bot Scams – Shared via YouTube influencers; users report complete loss after “profit” stalls. (New York Post)
16. WhatsApp Fake Investment Rings – WhatsApp shut down millions of scam accounts; platforms lure victims via AI-generated messages. (AP News)
17. Impersonated Airdrop Scams – Fake “staking rewards” lure private keys; victims drained instantly. (LinkedIn)
18. Meme Coin Pump Scams – Influencer-driven hype of worthless tokens leads to rapid investor losses. (imzansi.com)
19. Rodbound QR Phishing – Fake wallet apps showing phony “rewards”; harvesting wallet credentials. (LinkedIn)
20. Aussie Ex-Cop Scam Case – A retired police officer got lured into a crypto scheme that vanished after investment. (News.com.au)

21–30: Fake Platforms and Recent Fraud Domains

21. Cryptoxchs.com – Registered Oct 2024; lures with fake high returns, blocks withdrawals. (Reddit)
22. Undercrypto.io – April 2024 domain promising returns; victims can’t withdraw funds. (Reddit)
23. Ammnode.top – New domain (Nov 2024); sticky pattern: fake site, no regulation. (Reddit)
24. Inertix.pro – Umbrella scam offering fake algorithmic trading; no withdrawals. (Reddit)
25. Coinbridge.me – Linked to fake investment education; funnels users to crypto scam platforms. (Reddit)
26. Netwealth-invest.xyz – Slick site, unrealistic investment tiers, withholding withdrawals. (Reddit)
27. Immediateedge.biz – Automated trading scam that never allows withdrawals. (Reddit)
28. Exmart Exchange – Locked out by $5K deposit requirement; impossible to withdraw. (cyberclaims.net)
29. Spark RLV – Promised gains but never paid out. (cyberclaims.net)
30. Byconomy.com – Same pattern: deposit, request fee, freeze. (cyberclaims.net)

31–40: Fake Miners, Scam Wallets, and Imposter Recovery Sites

31. Presale.kittycoin.app – Fake ICO stolen $2K in Ethereum. (cyberclaims.net)
32. Pnecoin.com – Locked investor funds after small deposit. (cyberclaims.net)
33. FastETH.io – Fake ETH mining deposits; funds vanish. (cyberclaims.net)
34. RecoveryCelsius.co – Impersonated Celsius’s recovery site. (cyberclaims.net)
35. TYDP Group – Fake trading signals trap deposits. (cyberclaims.net)
36. Fonnex.com – Demanded $3,500 KYC fee then froze accounts. (cyberclaims.net)
37. WEX Exchange Clones – Impostor sites with locked withdrawals. (CoinLedger)
38. OneCoin Evolution – Rebranded OneCoin; same fake ledger specifics trap investors. (Historical context.) (CoinLedger)
39. MirrorTrading International (MTI) – Fake AI trading Ponzi; collapsed, creating billions in losses. (Wikipedia)
40. MetaFarm (DeFi rug) – Fake metaverse farming platform drained liquidity quickly. (ICO Desk | Crypto News)

41–50: Political Meme Coin Scandals & High-Profile Failures

41. $LIBRA Meme Coin (Argentina) – Promoted by president; collapsed with $250M investor losses. (Wikipedia)
42. HyperFund Rebirth Clones – Unregulated Ponzi clones mimicking HyperFund’s failed legacy. (imzansi.com)
43. HyperVision Bots – AI trading platform with no licensing; disappeared after deposits. (Predicted) (bitcryptonova)
44. QuantumX – Fake influencer-endorsed bot platform; evaporated early in 2025. (imzansi.com)
45. BotProfit360 – Selling automated strategies with no deliverables. (imzansi.com)
46. Livestream Scam Channels – Several channels promoted token presales only to steal deposits. (New York Post)
47. Fake Celebrity NFT Projects – Promoted via deepfake videos, offering worthless NFTs. (Medium)
48. Fake Payback Ltd Scammers – Recovery scammers later exposed and seized. (Reddit, Herald Sun)
49. Ai-led Assurance Tokens – Promised banking-grade backing; funds vanished. (Emerging 2025 pattern) (bitcryptonova)
50. Lost Retiree Crisis – Dozens of seniors tricked into investing and left destitute after fake recovery offers. (Herald Sun)

What You Should Do If Affected

If any of these frauds impacted you, here are your next steps:

• Stop sending funds immediately.
• Document everything — screenshots, wallet addresses, chat logs.
• Avoid “recovery managers” who cold-message you.
• Report the fraud to your bank and financial regulators.
• Reach out to Forteclaim Recovery Firm for expert evaluation and recovery strategy—many victims recover partial losses when cases are expedited.

Final Thoughts

The crypto world in 2025 is brimming with opportunity—and peril. From deepfake cons to AI-wielded rug pulls, scammers are relentlessly adapting. Staying informed and vigilant is your best defense. If something sounds implausible, it probably is.

Forteclaim Recovery Firm is here to help guide victims through the complexities of crypto fraud recovery—no judgment, just clear next steps.

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