Cryptocurrency has revolutionized the world of finance, offering innovative solutions and investment opportunities. However, its decentralized and relatively new nature has also made it a breeding ground for scams and fraudulent schemes. Here are the 5 biggest crypto scams of all time.
Bitconnect was a cryptocurrency lending and exchange platform that promised high returns on investments through its native token, Bitconnect Coin (BCC). Users were encouraged to invest Bitcoin in exchange for BCC and were promised daily interest payments. The platform used a referral system to attract new investors. Bitconnect's value soared to over $400 per coin at its peak. However, it was eventually revealed to be a Ponzi scheme, and in January 2018, the platform abruptly shut down. Investors lost billions of dollars as the value of BCC plummeted.
OneCoin was marketed as a revolutionary cryptocurrency with its own blockchain and was heavily promoted through MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) techniques. It claimed to be a competitor to Bitcoin, but in reality, it had no blockchain and was a centralized Ponzi scheme. Despite being widely recognized as a scam by the crypto community, OneCoin managed to attract billions of dollars in investment from people around the world. Its founder, Dr. Ruja Ignatova, disappeared in 2017, and the scam unraveled.
PlusToken was a Ponzi scheme that primarily targeted investors in Asia. It posed as a cryptocurrency wallet and investment platform, promising high returns to users who deposited their crypto assets. The scheme attracted millions of users and billions of dollars in cryptocurrencies. In mid-2019, the platform's operators abruptly halted withdrawals, leading to the arrest of key individuals associated with PlusToken. It is estimated that the scam defrauded investors of over $2 billion.
Mt. Gox was once the largest Bitcoin exchange in the world, handling over 70% of all Bitcoin transactions. However, in February 2014, the exchange suspended withdrawals, claiming technical difficulties. It was later revealed that Mt. Gox had lost approximately 850,000 Bitcoins, worth over $450 million at the time, due to a combination of hacking and mismanagement. The exchange filed for bankruptcy, and its CEO, Mark Karpeles, faced legal proceedings in Japan.
Bitpetite was a short-lived high-yield investment program that promised daily returns to investors in exchange for their Bitcoin deposits. The platform operated for a few months, attracting users with its unsustainable promise of quick profits. As expected, Bitpetite abruptly shut down, and its operators disappeared with the funds. Many investors lost their entire investments in this scam.
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Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.