Fake giveaways and airdrops
A "giveaway" promises free or doubled crypto if you send some first, or an unexpected token appears and urges you to connect your wallet. Neither is real.
How it works
- 1You see a post, video, or message that appears to come from a celebrity, a company, or a crypto project.
- 2It says: "Send us Bitcoin and we'll send back double," or "Claim your free tokens here."
- 3You send crypto, or you connect your wallet to a link that gives the scammer permission to take what's in it.
- 4The "giveaway" account disappears, and your crypto goes with it.
A realistic example (fictional)
Chris sees a livestream of a famous founder promising to double any Bitcoin sent to an address shown on screen. The video is a fake, and the address belongs to a scammer.
Warning signs
- Promises of free or doubled crypto
- A countdown or limited-time offer
- A well-known name with a slightly different handle
- A link asking you to connect your wallet to claim something
- An unexpected token that appears in your portfolio with a website in its name
- Replies from accounts that all praise the offer
What to do
Haven't sent anything?
Don't click, send, or connect. Block and report the account on the platform.
Already sent something?
- Stop. Don't send anything more.
- If you connected your wallet, stop using it.
- Save the post, the account name, and the address.
- Contact Support to report it.
Protect yourself
- Real companies and founders don't give away crypto in exchange for crypto.
- Never connect your wallet to a site you reached from an unexpected message.
- Ignore unexpected tokens. Don't interact with them.
Report it
Tell us first, then the authorities. See all the ways to report.
Authorities: FBI IC3 (ic3.gov) · your local police · your bank or card issuer if you paid that way.