Real scam examples
Fake authorities, wallets "found in your name", fake brokers, fake lawyers and impersonation of CheckSig staff: how to recognise them.
The most effective scams are not always the most technical ones, but the most believable.
They may use professional language, documents, well-made websites and seemingly trustworthy identities. Below are some of the most widespread crypto scams.
Fake tax authority or European authority
How it works
You receive a communication from someone presenting themselves as an official authority, claiming that a check on your funds is required.
What they ask for
- To transfer cryptocurrencies
- To give access to your accounts
Remember
No legitimate authority asks for transfers of cryptocurrencies in order to carry out checks.
Crypto wallet “found in your name”
How it works
They contact you saying that a crypto wallet registered in your name exists and holds available funds.
What they ask for
- A payment to unlock it
- A fee to recover the funds
Remember
This is a scam that plays on opportunity and curiosity.
Fake broker or investment
How it works
A supposed advisor or broker offers you advantageous investments or opportunities to make money.
What they do to convince you
- They send documents, photos or certificates
- They build a relationship of trust over time
- They present themselves as a professional or a reliable intermediary
Watch out
Documents, images and certifications can be forged. Their presence is not proof of authenticity.
Fake lawyer or fake legal support
How it works
After suffering or narrowly avoiding a scam, you may be contacted by supposed lawyers or law firms promising to help you recover the funds you lost.
In many cases this is a second scam, connected to the first one.
Their goal
- To increase the sense of credibility
- To exploit the victim’s moment of vulnerability
- To obtain a further payment
What they ask for
- Advance payments to start legal proceedings
- Fees or administrative charges to recover the funds
Remember
These people promise recoveries that will not actually happen, and disappear once they have obtained more money.
It is important to know that, in most cases, lost funds — both fiat and crypto — cannot be recovered.
Reporting the incident to the Postal Police is the right action to take, but as things stand it does not normally lead to the recovery of the amounts taken.
Always be wary of anyone promising easy, fast or guaranteed recoveries: it is very likely another scam.
Impersonation of CheckSig staff
How it works
An attacker poses as a CheckSig operator or, in some cases, impersonates well-known figures in the company, such as CEO Ferdinando Ametrano or other employees identifiable online.
They may contact you through:
- phone calls or SMS
- Social networks or messaging apps, such as LinkedIn, Instagram or Telegram
What they do
- They use the CheckSig name and logo
- They create urgency, for example by mentioning a problem with your account
- They try to lead you into risky actions
What they may ask for
- Access to your account
- Security codes
- Transfers of funds
- Personal or financial information
Remember
CheckSig will never ask you to take urgent actions involving transfers of funds or the sharing of credentials.