The Dark Side of Crypto: Scams, Hacks & How to Protect Yourself
I love crypto. But let’s be real: it has a dark side.
For every legit project, there are scammers waiting to steal your coins.
For every bull run, there’s a hacker looking for weak wallets.
If you’re new to crypto, you need to know the dangers — and how to protect yourself.
🪤 1. Scam Projects & Rug Pulls
Fake coins or tokens that vanish after launch
Projects promising “guaranteed 100x”
Teams with no history, no transparency
How to protect yourself:
Research the team and project
If it sounds too good to be true, it is
Stick to trusted platforms
📩 2. Phishing & Fake Links
Emails or DMs pretending to be from “support”
Fake websites that look like exchanges or wallets
Telegram & Discord scams everywhere
How to protect yourself:
Never click random links
Bookmark official sites
Double-check URLs before logging in
👀 3. Fake Influencers & Pump Groups
“Buy this coin now!” hype accounts
Private groups promising insider info
Paid signals with no real value
How to protect yourself:
Don’t follow hype blindly
Do your own research (DYOR)
Remember: if they’re selling you signals, they’re making money off you
💻 4. Hacks & Exchange Risks
Exchanges getting hacked (Mt. Gox, FTX collapse)
Wallets compromised through weak passwords
Malware stealing seed phrases
How to protect yourself:
Never leave large amounts on exchanges
Use hardware wallets (Trezor)
Use strong passwords + 2FA
🤝 5. Real-World Threats
Crypto crime isn’t always online:
People have been targeted after bragging about their gains
Some got robbed during peer-to-peer trades
How to protect yourself:
Don’t tell everyone about your holdings
Stay humble online
Meet in public places if trading in person
🧠 Final Thoughts
Crypto is powerful — but it’s not risk-free.
Stay sharp. Stay humble. Protect your keys, your coins, and your privacy.
Remember: it’s easier to avoid losing money than to make it back.
💬 Have you ever seen or experienced a crypto scam? Share your story in the comments so we can all learn.
Follow @andytherbg — I’ll keep giving you the real side of crypto: the wins and the warnings.
I hope this message finds you well. My name is Blaze, and I’m an active contributor to the STEEM ecosystem, proudly running as a STEEM Witness under the handle blaze.apps. You can learn more about my work on my Steemit blog: https://steemit.com/@blaze.apps/blog.
Over time, I’ve dedicated myself to enhancing the STEEM blockchain through various projects, including:
Blaze Scanner: A blockchain scanning tool designed for everyone (https://blazescanner.org/).
BlazeDB: A comprehensive, rebuilt database for all things STEEM (https://blazerapi.museminted.com/docs).Contributions to the official Steemit website, such as the Advanced Comment Options (https://github.com/steemit/condenser/pull/3959), Power Down Withdrawal Routes (https://github.com/steemit/wallet/pull/262), and its extended version (https://github.com/steemit/wallet/pull/266).
I’ve also provided consistent insights and support to developers within the STEEM community. Currently, I’m honored to be ranked 19th among STEEM Witnesses, and I’m reaching out to kindly ask for your support in my journey to become a block producer.
If you believe in my contributions and vision for the STEEM blockchain, I would be deeply grateful if you could cast a witness vote for blaze.apps at https://steemitwallet.com/~witnesses. I’ve shared more details about my motivations and goals in my witness candidacy post: https://steemit.com/witnesscategory/@blaze.apps/vote-for-my-witness-why-i-want-to-be-a-block-producer-on-steemit.
Thank you for considering my request. I truly appreciate your time and support, and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.
Warm regards,
of course i will support you and follow you
Upvoted! Thank you for supporting witness @jswit.