How a ‘Wrong Number’ message turned into a $3.4M crypto scam

[Porfirii]

The truth is that, no matter how old a scam is, there'll always be people who will be naive and ignorant enough to fall for them, some are simply just pushed by greed into putting their money into these scams. Honestly, I've seen a lot of these play out so many times, and i wouldn't let it happen to me first before i know this is a scam, regardless of how authentic it is, as long as it sounds too good to be true.

In crypto, we not only see new user getting into trap of scammers but it's surprising that even experienced users who have spent time in the market and are well informed about crypto scams also fell prey to scammers. The reason is only because there is no shortage of greedy people in the market. No matter how much we educate others about scams, as long as greedy people continue to exist in the market scammers will continue to get good business.

In different contexts I would say that instead of greed it is more the existential decision to think that most people aren't going to cheat on you. Everyone makes that decision more or less consciously, and while being extremely paranoid has its cost, having the contrary worldview and trusting everyone, although it has its advantages, has its cost too. But I agree that in crypto, most of the times, is not a case of naïveté, but greed.

[pawanjain]

It's not that people continuing to chat with random strangers online that bothers me.
It is the fact that people are willing to spend their money on a random site suggested by a random person that bothers me.
How can people even think of doing such a thing. Are people so greedy that they forget the difference between right and wrong ?
All of this just for a quick money ? Avoid shortcuts is what I would suggest to anyone reading this.

[PrivacyG]

It's not that people continuing to chat with random strangers online that bothers me.
It is the fact that people are willing to spend their money on a random site suggested by a random person that bothers me.
How can people even think of doing such a thing. Are people so greedy that they forget the difference between right and wrong ?
All of this just for a quick money ? Avoid shortcuts is what I would suggest to anyone reading this.

When you attach a pair of boobs to the profile picture, a female name and a very friendly personality, trust me, many men forget the difference between right and wrong very fast.  Some people really believe money grows on trees.

[pawanjain]

It's not that people continuing to chat with random strangers online that bothers me.
It is the fact that people are willing to spend their money on a random site suggested by a random person that bothers me.
How can people even think of doing such a thing. Are people so greedy that they forget the difference between right and wrong ?
All of this just for a quick money ? Avoid shortcuts is what I would suggest to anyone reading this.

When you attach a pair of boobs to the profile picture, a female name and a very friendly personality, trust me, many men forget the difference between right and wrong very fast.  Some people really believe money grows on trees.

Lol, that's brutally honest but I guess it is what it is. What's the point of having so much of lust that you end up losing your life savings.
Isn't it better to hire a hooker or go to a brothel instead of losing money to such obvious scams ?

[CryptSafe]

This is an old scam tactics but it still prevalent in the society today and I still wonder how people fall for this scam considering the fact that they are communicating with strangers who they have not had contact with before in their lifetime. I was discussing with a friend he was telling me about something related to this which happened to a family member of his, he said that there is every possibility of these scammers using magic on their victims so that they would hid to their instructions to release funds and also details that would enable them make away with their victims assets. Actually, I had no option than to believe because most of these scams that happens just through phone calls is not enough to scam people just by mere talking with them via phone calls because a normal human would never fall for such scam of giving out funds or details relating to their assets for hackers to steal from.

[Felicity_Tide]

~snip

How can people even think of doing such a thing. Are people so greedy that they forget the difference between right and wrong ?
All of this just for a quick money ? Avoid shortcuts is what I would suggest to anyone reading this.

At that very point to them, it's not longer about what is right or what is wrong.
They just get too comfortable to the point where they start seeing the investment scheme as an opportunity, while failing to use their discretion at that crucial moment. I have come across some of these scams attempt on video clips... They aren't sophisticated as they seem. We just happen to have a lot of people out there who prefer to apply their scepticism to only less important issues. When there is a weakness, and the supposed victim lacks the ability to willingly pull the plug, then there is no way out.

[uchegod-21]

This is an old scam tactics but it still prevalent in the society today and I still wonder how people fall for this scam considering the fact that they are communicating with strangers who they have not had contact with before in their lifetime. I was discussing with a friend he was telling me about something related to this which happened to a family member of his, he said that there is every possibility of these scammers using magic on their victims so that they would hid to their instructions to release funds and also details that would enable them make away with their victims assets. Actually, I had no option than to believe because most of these scams that happens just through phone calls is not enough to scam people just by mere talking with them via phone calls because a normal human would never fall for such scam of giving out funds or details relating to their assets for hackers to steal from.

These scam pattern is not new, but most people make it easy for scammers to get to them. I have been seeing lots of ads on social media encouraging young people to chat with lonely strangers and get paid. Now my concern are on those lonely people who choose to find comfort in the hands of total strangers they know absolutely nothing about. These scammers who disguise as friendly strangers will not have a way of scamming them, not even with charms or magic if these victims didn't make themselves available.

Even up till now, people still get excited chatting with strangers and disclosing alot of information out of trust. Some take the risk of visiting strangers where they are eventually robbed. Alot has gone wrong in the society that security shouldn't be what anyone will treat with less priority. Once a stranger starts trying to know more than he is supposed to know, it is already a red flag. I can't imagine myself telling a stranger how much I own whether in fiat or Bitcoin. It is none of their business. Bitcoiners should stop giving strangers attention.

[Doan9269]

Once you just made a small mistake like this, people tend to take advantage of such and use it against you as vulnerability and if you are not careful you are already scammed by so doing, this is where we also have to be more sensitive in whatever we are doing online and in cryptocurrency because any mistake made cannot be reversed and our lost asset may not be recovered at the same time when it has been taken by the scammers.

[Kelward]

It baffles me too, and women are the most victims of this vice. Is it gullibility or what? Does it mean that the victims were suffering from boredoms and needed someone to talk to? Make it make sense, in this selfish world, a stranger contacted me by mistake, and I will give in just like that? That's ridiculous. Even those people I know are still finding it difficult to gain my trust, let alone strangers. The victims are not smart!

I can agree that the victims of this phone conversation scams are not very smart because they are not supposed to just like that trust a total stranger about anything that has to do with money and investment. But you have to know that these scammers that acts like innocent strangers are real professionals who knows how to sustain conversations and manoeuvre their victims into discussing about investments.

If you are not informed about various types of scams or you are not a person that always applies common sense you will innocently fall victim while thinking that it's your lucky day to have met a stranger that will lead you to make fortunes. To avoid these sorts of scams you should always have it at the back of your mind that there is no easy money out there and anybody that is offering you any get rich quick scheme is most likely a scammer. The mindset will always help you to easily identify red flags in conversations and block them before they go deep with you.

[Achalugo BTC]

Lol, that's brutally honest but I guess it is what it is. What's the point of having so much of lust that you end up losing your life savings.
Isn't it better to hire a hooker or go to a brothel instead of losing money to such obvious scams ?

Greed is a bitch indeed. It can make one put so much at stake for so little without even knowing it. There's nothing wrong with wanting to have more, that's humans for you, we'll always want more, regardless of how much we have already in our purse, but the moment that we start yearning for more at the expense of others or ourselves, then it goes from just simple yearnings to greed, and we need to put an end to it, else it will only get us into trouble and more trouble.