#CryptoScamSurge It looks like #CryptoScamSurge is being used to highlight a growing wave of increasingly sophisticated cryptocurrency scams. Here's a snapshot of what’s fueling the trend:
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🔍 What’s Behind the Surge?
AI-Powered Scams: Deepfake Impersonations
Crypto scams cost investors around $4.6 billion in 2024, with AI‑generated deepfake videos impersonating public figures like Elon Musk and Singapore’s Prime Minister used to lure victims .
In Q1 2025, at least 87 scam rings using AI deepfakes were dismantled across Asia .
Pig‑Butchering & Romance Fraud
Long‑con tactics like “pig butchering” scams, where perpetrators build trust over time before extracting large crypto transfers, surged in 2024, rising nearly 40% year-over-year .
In the U.S., losses exceeded $5 billion in 2024, with pig‑butchering scams tied to international crime networks and romance fraud schemes .
Phishing, SMS Fraud & Fake Job Offers
Phishing attacks in crypto cost over $2.36 billion in 2024, a 32% increase versus the prior year—often involving “friendly” fake job recruiters tricking users into installing malware .
Multi-stage deception—micro‑payments first, then wallet‑draining token approvals—emerged as a new method in 2025 scams .
Crypto ATM (Kiosk) Scams
Crypto ATMs have emerged as abuse points in several regions: in Maryland (U.S.), over 5500 complaints tied to forced ATM transfers in 2023 (~$189M losses) .
In Tasmania (Australia), 15 crypto‑ATM users lost about AUD 900,000 collectively, with seniors targeted by scammers posing as tech support or government agents .
Major Exchange Hacks
The Bybit mega‑heist in early 2025 ($235 million) underscore the scale of infrastructure risks .
These contributed to global crypto thefts exceeding $2.17 billion in H1 2025, already surpassing total losses for all of 2024 .
