5 Ways to Avoid Crypto Scams

Scammers love fresh opportunity and they’ve found it in cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin and many others. Along with running investment scams, crypto fraudsters also pose as government agencies or even an online love interest in hopes of getting your money.Here are 5 ways to avoid cryptocurrency scams:
  1. Don’t pay or give personal info to random contacts demanding crypto. Be wary of anyone who:
    • Wants you to withdraw cash and take it to a crypto ATM (especially if it’s an online purchase).
    • Sends you a check, then tells you to send money back via crypto because they “overpaid” you.
    • Demands that you pay in crypto to protect your money or solve a computer issue or legal problem.
  2. Don’t click random links about crypto if you get an out-of-the-blue text, email or social media message related to the above.
  3. Don’t trust promises of free crypto or huge profits for crypto investments. Not even if there’s a convincing celebrity endorsement – those are easily faked! Before investing in crypto, search the name of the company or person and the cryptocurrency name, plus words like “scam,” “complaint” or “review.”
  4. Don’t pay up front for a job. No legit company would make you pay money or buy cryptocurrency to work there.
  5. Don’t send crypto (or money of any kind) to an online love interest who asks you for it or says they can help you make money investing in cryptocurrency.
If you think you’ve been a victim of a cryptocurrency scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and reach out to your financial institution right away. Summit members, give us a call at 800-236-5560.

Want More Fraud-Fighting Tips?

Keep exploring more ways to  Source:
FTC: What To Know About Cryptocurrency and Scams
You might also be interested in When you get an out-of-the-blue text, phone call or email, do you sometimes wonder if it’s really who it says it is? Hey, it’s smart to be cautious! Fraudsters... It’s that time of year again – tax time. And it’s also scammers’ favorite time to impersonate online tax services, the IRS and yes, even Summit, to try... Hosting dinner parties. Heading to your in-laws’. Hustling to order those perfect gifts. It’s the season for cheer and goodwill, and unfortunately also... Scammers are getting better and better at making fake links look legit. So before you click on that URL (the string of letters that makes up a web address)... Hey there, fellow fraud-fighters! Have five minutes to bust some common myths about scams? Because the more you know, the more you can stop fraudsters... For many, Social Security is a main source of income later in life, and no one wants to lose out on those funds or a perceived opportunity for more benefits... If there’s anything we know for sure about scammers, it’s that they’re going to take advantage of new technology. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is creating... With over 500 million daily active users, Instagram has become a popular app for sharing photos, connecting with friends and even following the lives of... “My daughter was excited to watch her high school team play for the state title. To livestream the game, she clicked what she thought was an official “WIAA”... Please read the following before proceeding to: The website you are about to visit is solely the responsibility of the merchant or other party providing the site. The content of this third-party site, including materials and information, is solely the responsibility of the provider of the site. The Credit Union is not responsible for any such third-party content. Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site.
NCUA Insurance Estimator Privacy, Security & Accessibility Rates Terms and Fees Routing Number
The Wisconsin's #1 Mortgage Lender designation is based on the number of loans in 2023, gathered from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data compiled annually by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The results of the data were obtained through the LEI: 254900NTAC4H10MGSU23 ** SBA Lender of the Year Award for Credit Unions as awarded by the Small Business Administration of Wisconsin in 2024. Copyright 2025 © Summit Credit Union. All rights reserved. If you are using a screen reader and are having problems using this website, please call 608-243-5000 for assistance. Insured by NCUA