#CryptoScamSurge

As the crypto space grows, so does the dark side: #CryptoScamSurge is real, and it's accelerating. In 2024, global losses exceeded $14.5 billion—a 23 % increase from the previous year. So far in H1 2025, over $2.17 billion has already been stolen, surpassing the entirety of last year’s thefts . Scammers are evolving—using phishing, fake hardware wallets, wallet compromises, and deepfake voice & video to trick users at scale .

Instances of AI-generated deepfakes—posing as Elon Musk or other high-profile figures—have facilitated millions in fraudulent crypto giveaways . Meanwhile, “pig butchering” romance scams continue to devastate victims, particularly retirees, with these schemes growing nearly 40% in 2024 and resulting in average losses of $38,000 per victim .

On the regulatory front, states and countries are reacting: U.S. states are limiting or banning crypto ATMs, and Tasmania recently reported seniors losing an average of $165,000 each via ATM-fee scams . In India, a single Indian trader lost ₹28.8 lakh in a USDT transfer swindle . Even major exchanges and platforms are affected—Bybit suffered a record $1.46 billion hack .