Is the 'send crypto, get double back' giveaway real?
These scams say a famous person or company is giving away crypto. You only have to send some first, and you will get double back. They often use fake videos made with AI, called deepfakes, that look and sound real. No one is doubling your money. Anything you send is gone.
Warning signs
'Send 1, get 2 back' or any promise to multiply what you send.
A famous person seems to speak in a live stream or video about a giveaway.
A countdown timer or 'only a few spots left' message.
Comments full of people saying they got paid. These are often fake accounts.
The FTC says: "celebrities aren't contacting you through social media. It's a scammer."
If it already happened
Do not send anything more, even if they say a 'bonus' is waiting.
Write down what happened while you still remember. Save the wallet addresses, transaction IDs (the long code for each payment), dates, amounts, screenshots, the website or app name, and the chat usernames.
Report the post, video, or account on the platform where you saw it.
Report it for free. In the US, use the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Outside the US, use your country's official fraud-report service. Type the address yourself.
Expect a second scam. People may soon contact you offering to get your money back for a fee. That is almost always another scam.