On Wednesday, July 9, 2025, financial newspapers said Bitcoin had reached a new record.
Consider a CNBC story entitled “Bitcoin reaches a new record greater than $ 112,000, helped by the technological rally led by Nvidia”, “ Who reads: “Bitcoin Hit a new record Wednesday afternoon as Nvidia-The rally-led rallies have helped increase the price of the cryptocurrency when the stock market is closed. »»
The same day, I saw this title MSN.com: “Ready for the next wave of cryptography? Here are the best tokens to buy in 2025.” Here is an extract: “The digital asset market is entering a new expansion phase. After the launch of the Bitcoin ETF and the overvoltage of the adoption of Ethereum Layer-2, the attention moves quickly to the infrastructure tokens which can cause large-scale utility. Among them, several emerging projects are distinguished. ”
But unfortunately, the bad players read the same major titles – and take global measures in a series of cryptographic arcs.
One day before, pronounced media stories: “Two billed in a global crypto scam of $ 650 million that has promised 300% yields”::
“The indictment, not sealed in the district of Puerto Rico, accuses Michael Shannon Sims, 48, of Georgia and Florida, and Juan Carlos Reynoso, 57, New Jersey and Florida, exploitation and promotion of Omegapro, a marketing scheme of the international crypto exchange compared to 16 months.
Tip of an iceberg? Crypto scams abound
Just in case you think this scam was just a single minor story, think again.
While I was looking for this subject, I was shocked by the large number of scams linked to the crypto announced last week, as well as hundreds this year and thousands of others that have surfaced in recent years. For example, here is a small sample of media stories that I found:
Cointelegraph.com: “The secret services seize $ 400 million in crypto, a cold wallet among the largest world”
“The American secret services have quietly seized nearly $ 400 million in digital assets in the last decade, amassing one of the largest cold crypto wallets, Bloomberg reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the problem.
“The Global Investigative Operations Center (GIOC) of the agency followed funds via open-source tools, an analysis of blockchain and patience, Jamie Lam, investigative analyst in the secret service of the United States, would have said The law enforcement officials to Bermuda last month.
“The agency’s cryptocurrency, a large part of which is in a single cold storage portfolio, results from a series of surveys on scams. Schools attract targets to apparently legitimate cryptographic investment platforms in a typical scheme. Victims often see the initial profits before the sites disappear with their deposits. ”
ABC7 Chicago: “Celebrity Crypto Cons: The man in the Chicago region, Richard Lyons, loses $ 10,000 at the cryptocurrency scam by imitator of Elon Musk”
“Richard Lyons thought he was investing with the richest man in the world. The Vietnam veteran encountered a false “Elon Musk” on social networks, then there were dozens and dozens of direct messages in both directions.
“” He continued to ask me to invest, and I saw that his name was Elon Musk, “said Lyons.” So, I said to myself: “Okay, he’s the richest guy in the world, supposed to know what he is doing.” Well, then he started asking me for money to invest in his business. “”
“Lyon sent fraudster a total of $ 10,000 in cryptocurrency, believing that” Elon Musk “was going to help him make him rich. Lyons finally realized that it was a scam after several months, when he could not recover his money.”
AJC.com: “The owner of Atlanta Crypto Biz took the time of fraud says that it is” as living in a James Bond film “”
“Marlon Williams said he was surprised to find hundreds of thousands of missed dollars at his crypto-money startup based in Buckhead three years ago.
“But the local entrepreneur was even more shocked when the FBI told him that its former director of technology actually worked on behalf of the government of North Korea to fly to American companies.”
CBC: “BC Woman has lost more than $ 500,000 Bitcoin in the SIM 2021 exchange fraud program, according to prosecution”
“A judge ordered a woman from British Columbia who would have lost $ 530,000 in Bitcoin in a” Sim Swap “fraud regime to resolve her trial outside the courts.”
Decrypt: “Inside the North Korea hiring scams targeting cryptographic companies”
- “The Decrypt individuals have spoken out by said they saw tactics of North Korean IT workers to be hired by foreign companies to change in recent months.
- “They believe that the country hires foreigners to help them browse the first cycles of interviews.
- “North Korea stole $ 1.34 billion in crypto last year.”
Bitcoin.com: “Exposed Fraud Crypto: 2 Londoners obtain 12 years for $ 2 million Scam”
“Cryptographic crooks continue to believe that they can get away with their dirty tactics. Two residents of the Grand London were sent to prison after defrauding more than 1.54 million pounds Sterling – approximately 2.1 million dollars – of at least 65 people. “
Thehindu.com: “Trump’s YouTube video promoting Bitcoin at a NATO summit is a cryptographic scam”
“Crypto crooks manage deep videos from American president Donald Trump as live videos from Youtube, in what seems to be an attempt to steal the bitcoin of investors.
“Several” Live “YouTube videos presented Mr. Trump to what was seemed to be a NATO press event. There, he was seen urging viewers to scan a QR code on the screen and send their bitcoin to the specified location in order to recover the double of the amount.”
Pymts.com: “The crooks usurp the identity of the Trump’s inaugural committee to steal the crypto”
“Federal prosecutors claim that the crooks pretended to be the presidential inaugural committee to steal thousands of cryptocurrencies.
“In a civil complaint deposited last week – and reported Friday, July 4 by CNBC, the American lawyer said that the crooks used email email addresses designed to seem to belong to the inaugural committee to deceive or force the victims to provide them with money ”.
“It was only the difference of a letter, creating e-mail addresses ending with” @ t47lnaugural.com “with an” l “, rather than” @ t47inaugural.com “with a tiny” i “. This tip allowed the crooks to convince their victims to send them more than 250,300 USDT StablecoinThis amounts to about $ 250,300. »»
Help, please!
So how can we detect a cryptographic scam? This video offers useful information with 10 panels to be monitored, such as including guaranteed yields, too complex jargon or a rush to invest with limited time offers that expire in hours:
Staysafeonline.org, which is the useful portal sponsored by the National Cybersecurity Alliance, offers this new article on common cryptographic scams. Here is an extract:
“A cryptocurrency scam is a tip or a scheme designed to steal your digital currency, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum. The crooks also try to persuade you to hand over personal information or money under the promise of cryptographic wealth.
“The crooks love crypto because:
- “Transactions are difficult – and often impossible – to be reversed.
- “There is no central authority to arise.
- “Many people are interested in this, but don’t fully understand how it works.”
Although many examples are described in this article and other related articles, here is an extract from the one I emphasize on Romanesque scams involving cryptocurrencies:
“The crooks establish Online emotional relationshipsSo suddenly claims to have an emergency. “I need help to unlock my wallet,” they say. Or, “Let’s invest together!”
“These scams could take place for weeks or months. The crooks could even show you graphics or tampered applications that give the impression that you earn money. Bouchery scams often include a romantic angle.
“Our general council is to avoid mixing romance and investing online – if you feel forced to break this rule, you are probably scammed.
“Red flags:
- “Your crush will not be the video chat
- “Your Beguin avoids meetings in person
- “Your Beguin brings the crypto out of nowhere”
Final reflections
As explained in many of my previous blogs in the last decade, the border between work and family life is blurred for many, especially for staff working remotely, but also for people who have entered the office online from the office.
Add an increase in the value of Bitcoin, an increasing number of new laws, political and the landscape of the cryptocurrency changing overall, and the bases are laid for many other future scams. Indeed, I expect it to be one of the fastest growth fraud in 2025.
No, I am not saying that you should not invest in cryptocurrencies, and I am not opposed to the purchase of actions in companies that buy a large amount of cryptocurrencies.
I say: do your homework. Also pay attention to scams. And ask for help if and when you are confused, but before sending money.
