Cryptocurrency scam reporting: how to report crypto fraud and protect others

1. Fake exchanges and wallet apps. Clones of Coinbase, MetaMask or Binance that harvest seed phrases or deposits. Often promoted via Google Ads or social media.
2. Pig butchering. A long-con relationship that pivots to an "exclusive" investment platform. Victims deposit increasing amounts and are shown fake profits until the platform disappears.
3. Rug pulls. A new token is hyped on social media, liquidity is pulled by the creators and the price collapses to zero.
4. Giveaway and recovery scams. "Send 1 ETH, get 2 back" or "we can recover your lost funds for a fee". Both prey on victims who have already lost money.
5. Phishing for seed phrases. A fake support agent, airdrop claim or "security update" that asks for your 12- or 24-word recovery phrase.

Blockchain transactions are immutable and public: but attribution requires careful documentation:

• Save the transaction hash (TXID). Every deposit and withdrawal has a unique hash. Screenshot it from your wallet and save the link from a block explorer (Etherscan, Blockchain.com, etc.).
• Document the wallet addresses. Both your sending address and the recipient address. Clustering tools can link scammer wallets to exchanges or other victims.
• Capture the scam site or app. Screenshot the interface, the URL, any terms of service and the "about" page. If it is a mobile app, note the package name and the store it was downloaded from.
• Record all communication. Screenshots of DMs, emails and support tickets are evidence of intent and solicitation.

If the scammer cashed out through a centralised exchange, that exchange is often the fastest path to a freeze:

1. Identify the receiving exchange via a blockchain explorer or clustering service (Chainalysis, TRM Labs, or free alternatives like misteaks.io).
2. File a support ticket with the exchange's fraud or compliance team. Include the TXID, the scammer's wallet address, a timeline and a police report number if available.
3. If the exchange is unresponsive and the amount is significant, contact the exchange's regulatory authority (FCA for UK, FinCEN for US, BaFin for Germany).

Decentralised exchanges (DEXs) and mixers (Tornado Cash, etc.) make freezing harder, but the scam site or app promoting the scheme is still hosted somewhere: and that is where Blackwall focuses.

Cryptocurrency scams cross borders, so file in multiple jurisdictions if applicable:

• United States: FBI IC3 (ic3.gov) and the SEC for securities-related fraud.
• United Kingdom: Action Fraud (actionfraud.police.uk).
• Germany: BSI or your local Landeskriminalamt (LKA) cybercrime unit.
• EU-wide: Europol's European Financial and Economic Crime Centre (EFECC).

Include the TXID, wallet addresses, screenshots, and any communication records. Law enforcement can subpoena exchange records that individuals cannot access.

Taking down the scam site or app prevents the next victim from being recruited. Blackwall handles:

• Fake exchange and wallet sites: reported to hosting providers, Google Safe Browsing and domain blocklists.
• Phishing landing pages that harvest seed phrases or credentials.
• Malicious apps distributed outside official stores, via APK sideloading or enterprise provisioning.

Include the URL, the wallet address and a brief description of the scam type. The AI Triage engine prioritises crypto-fraud cases because of the high irreversible financial damage.