How to Avoid P2P Crypto Scams and Fraud

The peer-to-peer technology that powers Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is often hailed as safe and secure, since blockchains record the transactions. These records are then viewable by the public. However, like any growing industry with lucrative returns, the crypto world has its fair share of scammers. 

One prominent example was a company called Bitconnect, which ultimately shut down operations in 2018. The scam resulted in a whopping $3.45 billion being stolen. To this day, it’s the biggest example of an initial coin offering (ICO) scam, having promised investors 40% returns for their investment in what turned out to be a Ponzi scheme.

While there hasn’t been another crypto scam as large as Bitconnect to date, crimes involving cryptocurrencies have experienced a surge around the world. A recent report found that scammers took $14 billion worth of crypto in 2021, nearly twice the $7.8 billion taken in 2020. 

ICO scams like Bitconnect are just one type of tactic employed by crypto criminals. In this guide, we’re going to focus on P2P scams and how you can avoid them. 

What Is a P2P Scam in Crypto?