Pretends to be a friendly stranger
Crypto investment scam
Is an online friend or stranger telling me to invest in crypto a scam?
Yes, very likely. Fake sites show false profits, then demand fees to withdraw and may send couriers for cash. Do not send more money and report it.
Real organizations never do this. Stop. Hang up or delete it.
Also searched as: wrong number text, hello text from a stranger, pig butchering, crypto investment friend, bitcoin investment app, wrong number, saying hello, says hello, text saying hi
Draft: we're still checking this page. The quotes below are word for word from their sources.
What to do
On the phone right now?
- Stop. Hang up or close the message. Don't tap anything.
- Check. Call a number you already have, like the one on your card or bill.
- Talk to someone you trust before you pay anyone.
If anyone is in danger right now, call 911.
If you already paid
- Call the company you paid through right away: your bank, card company, gift card company, or the wire or Zelle service. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment.
- Call the Justice Department's National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If it happened online, report it at IC3.gov too.
General information, not legal or financial advice. If you've lost money, contact your bank and report it.
How it works
1 They reach you by
- Social media
- Text message
- Website
- In person
2 They pretend to be
- Investment expert
- A new love or friend
3 They ask for
- Cash or gold by courier
- Money
- Wire or Zelle
- Crypto
- Secrecy
What it can look like
Example pattern, not a real message
Pretends to be a friendly stranger. What gives it away:
- A courier picks up cash
- Pay with crypto
- Keep it a secret
What they may say
“do you want to get a coffee?”
“Hey, do you have WhatsApp, let’s talk there”
Warning signs
- They send someone to your home to pick up cash or gold. Real agencies and banks do not collect money that way.
- They want payment in cryptocurrency, or tell you to use a Bitcoin machine. That money is very hard to get back.
- They tell you not to tell your family or your bank. That keeps you from getting help.
- They push you to send a wire transfer or Zelle payment. That money is very hard to get back.
- They say you must pay right now or something bad will happen. Real organizations give you time to check.
Why we say this
Scammers Use Couriers to Collect Cash in Cryptocurrency Investment Scams
A stranger or fake online friend gets you to invest in crypto. When banks block your transfers, they send a courier to your home or a public place to pick up cash. The fake site shows false profits. Then it asks for more cash for made-up taxes and fines. The FBI says seniors are usually the targets.
The scammers arrange for couriers to meet the victims in person to retrieve cash for fraudulent investments.
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Scammers employ a ruse to entice communication with potential victims by posing as persons seeking business or romantic relationships through online social media networking platforms, unsolicited texts, or by creating a public persona of a cryptocurrency investment expert.
Legitimate financial institutions may deny suspicious funds transfers by victims, so scammers inform victims in-person cash pickups are required to continue investing with the fraudulent investment firm or to pay purported fines to withdraw their investments.
Scammers provide victims with a U.S. dollar bill serial number or another form of code/password.
Don't disclose your home address or agree to meet with unknown individuals to deliver cash or other valuables as part of investment activities.
Victims aged 60 or over who need assistance filing an IC3 complaint can contact the DOJ Elder Justice Hotline, 1-833-FRAUD-11 (or 833-372-8311).
FBI San Antonio Urges Public to Recognize Evolving Online Romance Scams
The FBI warns that romance scammers now use AI to look more real. Romance scams also lead into crypto investment fraud ("pig butchering"). Losses in the San Antonio area rose sharply in 2025, and many victims were over 50.
Victims across the San Antonio Division reported losing more than $28 million to confidence/romance scams in 2025, a sharp increase from $15.8 million in 2024, according to complaints filed with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
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**They frequently attempt to move conversations off legitimate dating platforms**, urging victims to communicate exclusively through email, texting, or encrypted messaging apps to avoid detection.
**Scammers commonly try to isolate victims from friends and family**, discouraging outside opinions that might expose inconsistencies or red flags.
**Promises to meet in person are repeatedly delayed or canceled**, usually due to sudden emergencies or work-related travel, prolonging the scam while keeping the victim emotionally invested.
The FBI advises individuals to verify identities and claims through trusted, independent sources before sharing personal information and **never send money, cryptocurrency, investments, gift cards or valuables to someone you’ve only met online.**
After building trust over time, scammers persuade victims to invest in cryptocurrency opportunities promising high or “guaranteed” returns. Victims are directed to professional-looking websites controlled by criminals that falsely display significant profits.
Stop all contact immediately.
If you sent money, contact your financial institution immediately.
Top text scams of 2024
The FTC lists "wrong number" texts as one of the top five text scams. It says they start with a harmless message, become a fake friendship, and end in bogus investment sites where people lose tens of thousands of dollars.
Wrong number scams start with an out-of-the-blue message that looks innocent enough – it might just say “hello” or “do you want to get a coffee?” But a simple act of kindness – responding to let a stranger know they have the wrong number – can be the start of a very costly scam.
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Reports show these scammers strike up a fake friendship, often with romantic undertones. Next, they claim to be successful investors, offering to share their tricks and directing people to bogus investment platforms. People report losing all the money they “invest,” often tens of thousands of dollars.
Why it’s not rude to ignore “hi, how are you?” text messages from strangers
The FTC explains that a simple "hi, how are you?" from an unknown number starts the scam. It describes how the scammer befriends you and then pushes crypto advice, and it says to ignore, delete and report these texts.
But it’s best to ignore these type of text messages. Scammers are using this tactic as a conversation starter, so don’t text back.
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The person (a scammer) on the other end of the text will probably apologize…and find a way to keep the conversation going to befriend you. Then, once they have your trust, they’ll try to offer you advice on investing in cryptocurrency or claim they can teach you the secrets to making big money in the crypto markets.
Even if you just reply to the text but don’t engage in conversation, you’ve still confirmed they reached a working telephone number.
Every investment has risks. Only scammers guarantee you’ll make lots of money in a short time with zero risk.
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Cryptocurrency Investment Schemes
A scammer spends weeks or months building a friendly or romantic bond online, then steers the victim into investing through a fake trading platform. The victim sees fake profits and is later asked to pay 'taxes' or 'fees' before being cut off.
The fraudsters make contact with their victims on various social media or dating applications (either spoofing long lost contacts known to the victim or posing as a potential friend or romantic partner) and often spend time gaining the victim's confidence and trust.
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The fake websites/apps allow the victims to track their investments and give the impression they are growing exponentially.
When the victims attempt to cash out their investments, they are told they need to pay income taxes or additional fees, causing them to lose additional funds.
Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud
An FBI agent describes cryptocurrency investment fraud as the most common scam now, delivered through cold calls and emails promising huge returns. The interview also says AI is making older scam formats more convincing rather than inventing new ones.
Cryptocurrency investment fraud, which the media commonly describes as "pig butchering," is one of the most prevalent and damaging fraud schemes today.
7 more quotes from this source
Scammers, through various means of manipulation, convince victims to deposit more and more money into financial "investments" using cryptocurrency.
Once the victim starts to "invest," returns shown on the investment platform will appear to be extremely lucrative, encouraging the victim to invest more and more.
Texting: Scammers text victims pretending they misdialed a number, sending a photo of themselves, or saying they work for a company that is hiring for job opportunities.
Red Flag: Once the victim agrees to continue communicating, it's common for the scammer to ask to move their messaging to another platform, including WhatsApp or Telegram—e.g., "Hey, do you have WhatsApp, let’s talk there."
Once the victim is ready to withdrawal all their earnings, they will find their account frozen and an arbitrary requirement will arise, usually in the form of paying "taxes" or "fees" to unlock their funds.
Do not invest per the advice of someone you meet solely online.
If you already invested funds and believe you are a victim of a scheme, do not pay any additional fees or taxes to withdraw your money.
Что такое «забой свиней» и как работает эта криптоафера?
A scammer spends weeks or months building a friendly or romantic bond online, then steers the victim into investing through a fake trading platform. The victim sees fake profits and is later asked to pay 'taxes' or 'fees' before being cut off.
Чаще всего вложения предлагают в криптоактивах, реже — в акциях, валюте или ставках.
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Не менее часто переписка завязывается в приложениях для свиданий и соцсетях.
Однако цифры на экране просто «нарисованы», чтобы убедить жертву внести больше денег.
Тревожный знак — требование заплатить, чтобы забрать собственные деньги.