Bitcoin Intentions, Privacy and Freedom, not Scam

[Dunamisx]

Chain analysis reported on the statistical information of cyber crime and I've taken enough time in going through and was able to figure out some facts about the situation of scam on the global economy and cryptocurrency respectively, but before then, let me take us a little back on how people and governments have always been going against bitcoin because of its increasing crime rate, which some actors are behind it.

But now, you may have to see also on why all these might have been wrongly approached and reason Bitcoin in cryptocurrency should be an exception on this, because all that have been said in the past about it could just be dump lies as against what it serves, while I was able to come out with some important information to help others understand the actual situation on ground regarding fraud.


Total numbers of crypto assets as a result of illicit activities.



https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/2025-crypto-crime-report-introduction/

Decline on transaction volume in relation to cryptocurrency illicit activities


https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/2025-crypto-crime-report-introduction/

Reduced rate of Bitcoin being used for cryptocurrency scam



https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/2025-crypto-crime-report-introduction/

Headlines to take note.

• Bitcoin is not the reason for scam or increasing rate to financial illicit activities.
  
  
• Initially many thoughts bitcoin was an aboard in performing fraud, but later they got to know it's relevance.
  
• There is a certain level this has been seen that Bitcoin is used, some were illusions while as we understand the facts, we realized also a significant difference on declining rate of bitcoin being used for scam.
  

[SquirrelJulietGarden]

Headlines to take note.

• Bitcoin is not the reason for scam or increasing rate to financial illicit activities.
  
  
• Initially many thoughts bitcoin was an aboard in performing fraud, but later they got to know it's relevance.
  
• There is a certain level this has been seen that Bitcoin is used, some were illusions while as we understand the facts, we realized also a significant difference on declining rate of bitcoin being used for scam.
  

Reasons of scams are from scammers and their needs to scam for more money, get rich from scams. There is no scam reason because of Bitcoin blockchain or bitcoin.

Like people as scammers can sell you low quality rice after advertising it as high quality rice, but it does mean rice is a reason of that scam.  Rice is similarly as Bitcoin, are only tools for scammers to do their scams but they are never scam reasons.

If scam severity increases, governments and their corresponding authorities must investigate and find out reasons of increasing scams like whether something wrose have been happening in their nations because of worsening economy and social wealth-fare. They must figure out solutions to fix those root causes, not target at Bitcoin or rice for example.

[Russlenat]

We all know what Satoshi really intended, just like fiat money, Bitcoin wasn’t made for scams.
It all comes down to how people use it. Some use it the right way, some don’t. At the end of the day, Bitcoin is just a tool, a medium of exchange meant to stay, because it brings decentralization and promotes transparency.

That’s also why we have law enforcers to crack down on illegal activity. It helps reduce crime and pushes Bitcoin toward what it was really meant for.
Right now, we can still enjoy the privacy and freedom it offers but not exactly the way we imagined. That’s the reality of regulation, and honestly, it’s something we can’t ignore.

[BenCodie]

The notion that Bitcoin was used by criminals was clearly one created by interests against Bitcoin, more than likely banks. If one was to study the amount of volume of criminal activity within banks and using cash (which, there is not enough data to fully encapsulate), they'd quickly find that the fiat and cash money systems are the real source of criminal activity...not Bitcoin, which runs on a completely transparent blockchain ledger.

Chainanalysis have been a questionable player in the space due to how they score and treat Bitcoin in general, and the question of how effective their services in general actually are (and if it's overall good or useless), though if there is a thing to be thankful for about them, it's their studies like this, that prove that illicit activity through Bitcoin and others are actually minimal in comparison to actual volume. This isn't to say criminal activity doesn't exist outside of Bitcoin, though it sure proves that (at least on the Bitcoin blockchain), that it's no where near as bad as what people still try to propagate to this day.

[lionheart78]

• Bitcoin is not the reason for scam or increasing rate to financial illicit activities.

Who would scam people for Bitcoin?  In the early years, Bitcoin had almost no value and scams were rampant everywhere even before Bitcoin was created there were already millions of victims of this so-called scam.

Scammers are doing their thing for money, not because of Bitcoin.  And even during the propagation time of Bitcoin awareness, Bitcoin is only used as a tool to scam people for money but that was their mistake.  Bitcoin is too transparent for these scammers to use and hide, reason why there are less and less people who conduct scam using Bitcoin because they can be traced. 

• Initially many thoughts bitcoin was an aboard in performing fraud, but later they got to know it's relevance.
  

Only those who are uninformed about Bitcoin features can think Bitcoin was aboard in performing fraud. But once they get to know what Bitcoin is, this biased thinking is corrected.

• There is a certain level this has been seen that Bitcoin is used, some were illusions while as we understand the facts, we realized also a significant difference on declining rate of bitcoin being used for scam.
  

In its early years when people are not familiar with Bitcoin, there are lots of Ponz Scheme companies that used Bitcoin as a tool to attract investors and steal their money.  In my country alone there are several scam company agents that contacted me, inviting me to invest in ther scheme.  I am glad that I already have the knowledge and aware of these scam scheme and declined their offer.

As time passes by, and people are getting aware of the features of Bitcoin and know that it has no central authorities, scam companies that used to take advantage of the naivety of investors are now shunned and avoided.

[hero_the_bossman]

I would like them to make the same chart but with fiat.
 

[freedomgo]

I would like them to make the same chart but with fiat.
 

LOL, Bitcoin doesn’t stand a chance... but the real problem with fiat money is that most of the dirty stuff happens in cash, no paper trail, or if there is, it's hard to track. Unlike Bitcoin transactions where everything is visible on the blockchain. Anyone with the right skills can trace where the money is coming from and where it’s going.

[MeGold666]

...but the real problem with fiat money is that most of the dirty stuff happens in cash, no paper trail, or if there is, it's hard to track. Unlike Bitcoin transactions where everything is visible on the blockchain. Anyone with the right skills can trace where the money is coming from and where it’s going.

You call it a problem that people can use cash without third parties knowing?

My friend, it's the other way around. Bitcoin's biggest problem is that it's a surveillance tool and that the average citizen cannot use it privately.

If you see privacy as a problem, you're in the wrong place.

Even Bitcoin developers are constantly trying to make it more private.

/Over&Out.

[hd49728]

My friend, it's the other way around. Bitcoin's biggest problem is that it's a surveillance tool and that the average citizen cannot use it privately.

If you see privacy as a problem, you're in the wrong place.

Even Bitcoin developers are constantly trying to make it more private.

Bitcoin is a public blockchain, and it has never been a private blockchain like Monero. Technically, people can use bitcoin better if they know about importance of non custodial wallet, UTXO selection for their transactions as well as Bitcoin full node and Tor when broadcasting their transactions to Bitcoin mempools and what for confirmation from Bitcoin miners.

What do they need?
Research and learn, that are not related to whether they are average users or advanced users. It starts with whether they care of privacy or not, as if their concern is about privacy, they will do research and learn to use Bircoin block chain for better privacy.

[peter0425]

https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/2025-crypto-crime-report-introduction/

Headlines to take note.

• Bitcoin is not the reason for scam or increasing rate to financial illicit activities.

This does not surprise me. This is what we have been saying for a while now. But people are still stuck to their preconceived notion about bitcoin being a scam. It is inevitable for people to associate everything crypto to just bitcoin. Bitcoin is the name that is being thrown everywhere that when people hear of crypto, they think of bitcoin immediately. So when there are crypto scams going around, bitcoin is the one that takes the fall. Anything can be used as a way to commit illicit activities. But somehow only bitcoin is one being crucified and deemed dangerous.[/list]

[john_egbert]

I would like them to make the same chart but with fiat.
 

LOL, Bitcoin doesn’t stand a chance... but the real problem with fiat money is that most of the dirty stuff happens in cash, no paper trail, or if there is, it's hard to track. Unlike Bitcoin transactions where everything is visible on the blockchain. Anyone with the right skills can trace where the money is coming from and where it’s going.

The fiat tracks are usually hidden well enough behind the bureaucracy, whereas BTC tracks cannot be hidden. Surely, there may be operations to hide the tracks to some degree, but overall, it's much easier for people to blame crypto and BTC than to think wider and see the reality that is literally in front of them.

[Zaguru12]

Bitcoin is a public blockchain, and it has never been a private blockchain like Monero. Technically, people can use bitcoin better if they know about importance of non custodial wallet, UTXO selection for their transactions as well as Bitcoin full node and Tor when broadcasting their transactions to Bitcoin mempools and what for confirmation from Bitcoin miners.

Misconceptions that many people have is the ideology that since bitcoin is decentralized and give freedom to every user it is misunderstood that it should be private which it is not. Bitcoin is pseudonymous and as such can be used any way you like. Bitcoin is stored on public ledger but one can actually go a bit private if the user choose to use it privately. Using different addresses for each transaction can help to make your transactions private and the other listed methods you stated but still transactions can still be traced if there is need to.

The stereotype of bitcoin been used for criminal purposes is not strange it is one that has been spread by those who hate the technology and wants things to discredit it, monetary scams existed before and after the coming of bitcoin even in traditional banks where there is KYC there are still scams carried out.

[melinoe]

Bitcoin is a public blockchain, and it has never been a private blockchain like Monero. Technically, people can use bitcoin better if they know about importance of non custodial wallet, UTXO selection for their transactions as well as Bitcoin full node and Tor when broadcasting their transactions to Bitcoin mempools and what for confirmation from Bitcoin miners.

Misconceptions that many people have is the ideology that since bitcoin is decentralized and give freedom to every user it is misunderstood that it should be private which it is not. Bitcoin is pseudonymous and as such can be used any way you like. Bitcoin is stored on public ledger but one can actually go a bit private if the user choose to use it privately. Using different addresses for each transaction can help to make your transactions private and the other listed methods you stated but still transactions can still be traced if there is need to.

The stereotype of bitcoin been used for criminal purposes is not strange it is one that has been spread by those who hate the technology and wants things to discredit it, monetary scams existed before and after the coming of bitcoin even in traditional banks where there is KYC there are still scams carried out.

When you can't fight it - you discredit its reputation, that's how it is, with BTC or something else new to the world.

[Dunamisx]

Headlines to take note.

• Bitcoin is not the reason for scam or increasing rate to financial illicit activities.
  
  
• Initially many thoughts bitcoin was an aboard in performing fraud, but later they got to know it's relevance.
  
• There is a certain level this has been seen that Bitcoin is used, some were illusions while as we understand the facts, we realized also a significant difference on declining rate of bitcoin being used for scam.
  

Reasons of scams are from scammers and their needs to scam for more money, get rich from scams. There is no scam reason because of Bitcoin blockchain or bitcoin.

Like people as scammers can sell you low quality rice after advertising it as high quality rice, but it does mean rice is a reason of that scam.  Rice is similarly as Bitcoin, are only tools for scammers to do their scams but they are never scam reasons.

If scam severity increases, governments and their corresponding authorities must investigate and find out reasons of increasing scams like whether something wrose have been happening in their nations because of worsening economy and social wealth-fare. They must figure out solutions to fix those root causes, not target at Bitcoin or rice for example.

That's true and i got your point for this, scam exist everywhere and people know this for sure, but whenever it comes with the cyber crime, the first thing their ear tune to is bitcoin in cryptocurrency, without knowing that this has been the same financial challenge the entire world has been battling right from time.

We all know what Satoshi really intended, just like fiat money, Bitcoin wasn’t made for scams.

Some truly know about this fact, but they will pretend they don't and fight against bitcoin just to help them have more dominance in controlling the traditional fiat without giving chance for bitcoin to take over, because they know its a decentralized digital currency and they cant regulate it as they do with fiat currencies.

[Die_empty]

Misconceptions that many people have is the ideology that since bitcoin is decentralized and give freedom to every user it is misunderstood that it should be private which it is not. Bitcoin is pseudonymous and as such can be used any way you like. Bitcoin is stored on public ledger but one can actually go a bit private if the user choose to use it privately. Using different addresses for each transaction can help to make your transactions private and the other listed methods you stated but still transactions can still be traced if there is need to.

The stereotype of bitcoin been used for criminal purposes is not strange it is one that has been spread by those who hate the technology and wants things to discredit it, monetary scams existed before and after the coming of bitcoin even in traditional banks where there is KYC there are still scams carried out.

The government and some financial institutions are not comfortable with the growing influence of Bitcoin.  Which is why they started several campaigns to discredit Bitcoin.  They came up with lies like Bitcoin destroys the environment and it is mainly used by criminals. In my few years of following news about crime in my country, I have never heard that Bitcoin was used for criminal activity. 

These criminals know that they might not be able to hide their tracks unless they use some privacy tools. They are aware that cash is difficult to track, hence they prefer using it.

I also think that the public has become aware of these lies which has made these critics reduce the promotion of these lies. 

[Ucy]

Well, part of the reason Bitcoin is openly transparent, unlike opaque fiat system, is to help in exposing immoral/evil activities. So, I would say it's doing well in that regard and deserves a plus.
Evil thrives in darkness, and no address/coin should be blacklisted unless it's used for evil. This is important to prevent abusing the system by tyrants who are probably used to abuse of power in fiat system, in the name of moving against illicit or crime funds. So called sanctioned entity and other kinds of sanctioned users are free to use Bitcoin unless the funds are for immoral uses or from immoral sources, and this should be determined transparently by the Bitcoin Community rather than few individuals who are not very accountable to the community and have strong chance of abusing their powers

[Lida93]

Headlines to take note.

• Bitcoin is not the reason for scam or increasing rate to financial illicit activities.
  
  
• Initially many thoughts bitcoin was an aboard in performing fraud, but later they got to know it's relevance.
  
• There is a certain level this has been seen that Bitcoin is used, some were illusions while as we understand the facts, we realized also a significant difference on declining rate of bitcoin being used for scam.
  

Reasons of scams are from scammers and their needs to scam for more money, get rich from scams. There is no scam reason because of Bitcoin blockchain or bitcoin.

Like people as scammers can sell you low quality rice after advertising it as high quality rice, but it does mean rice is a reason of that scam.  Rice is similarly as Bitcoin, are only tools for scammers to do their scams but they are never scam reasons.

Yea, it is what it is and that fact is that they just don't want bitcoin to survive and that's the reason behind the different interpretation they give it in relation to when scammers uses bitcoin to scam people compared to when same scammers uses others tools to scam people. For example, AI tool is been used to scam unsuspecting public but that wasn't the idea behind the creation of Ai as a tech tool, yet they don't condemn it as anything that is been used for scam but they promote the positive sides of it the more. Succinctly put, what they can't destroy, they just look for other means to paint it as bad to scare off adoption.

[Mate2237]

This statistics has just shown that fraud is a universal thing and crypto currency or Bitcoin is not the cause of crime or fraud online before the inception of Bitcoin there has been a lot of fraud that has been going on using different means and sources so anyone attributing fraud to Bitcoin is doing that out of ignorance because one thing that I have seen is that people are only using the potential that Bitcoin offers to deceiving ignorant people are are not well informed about Bitcoin.


I think that with recent knowledge about Bitcoin and crypto currency that has been ever increasing the perception of alot of people about Bitcoin is gradually changing for the good because more people are starting to realize that Bitcoin is not a tool for fraud it's just peoples mindset that is the problem because anything in life can be used in defrauding people

[SquirrelJulietGarden]

This statistics has just shown that fraud is a universal thing and crypto currency or Bitcoin is not the cause of crime or fraud online before the inception of Bitcoin there has been a lot of fraud that has been going on using different means and sources so anyone attributing fraud to Bitcoin is doing that out of ignorance because one thing that I have seen is that people are only using the potential that Bitcoin offers to deceiving ignorant people are are not well informed about Bitcoin.

Scam has been existing since a long time and its existence did not start in 2009 with Bitcoin Genesis Block. Scammers can use many things to scam if they see those things can help to increase potential success of their scam attempts. Inside the blockchain industry and cryptocurrency ecosystem, we can easily see that scams exist anywhere, and after Bitcoin there are many altcoins used by scammers.

I think that with recent knowledge about Bitcoin and crypto currency that has been ever increasing the perception of alot of people about Bitcoin is gradually changing for the good because more people are starting to realize that Bitcoin is not a tool for fraud it's just peoples mindset that is the problem because anything in life can be used in defrauding people

Education is important and can help many people to become more knowledgeable and better prepared for scam attacks. Firstly, as potential victims of scammers, if they have better knowledge in general and about scam methods in particular, they will less likely fall to scams. Secondly, if people are better educated, they can not only have knowledge but also better morality that can play important role as backbone of their activities and when they assess and take action morally, they will less likely do scam attempts.

[uneng]

As we can see through the chart, Bitcoin being used for cryptocurrency scams is having its rates decreased. It's logical to think that it's happening proportionally to the increasement of regulations by governments towards crypto market. In fact, that is a strong point for regulators and authorities to claim the urge for centralization in order to bring order to the decentralized crypto market, well known for being "no man's land" in a not so far previous time.

At same time, it goes totally against privacy concept, which has been one of the main reasons why people have been told to adopt Bitcoin. In the end, scams must be decreasing, indeed, but at which cost? At cost of giving up on your freedom and privacy, which are no longer features to be promoted by this industry, since they have become empty marketing...

Scam schemes could be avoided, but you can't avoid giving up on your privacy without negative consequences. Therefore, in past times this environment was better, more authentic and genuine.