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What is a crypto giveaway scam?
A giveaway scam promises to send you back more crypto than you send, often double, usually in the name of a celebrity, a company or another well-known figure. Whatever you send goes to the scammer, and nothing comes back.
What it means for you
No genuine giveaway requires you to send crypto first, and a payment to the scam address cannot be reversed. Countdowns, replies from people claiming they were paid and official-looking livestreams are all part of the setup. A block explorer can show money flowing into the address, which proves nothing about money flowing out.
How it works
ethereum.org calls these 2-for-1 scams: a post, video or website promises to double any amount sent to an address, usually with a deadline to create a false sense of urgency. bitcoin.org notes impostors set up social media accounts that copy real people and reply to their posts with the offer. The FTC states that free money promises are always fake. No hacking is involved; the victim makes a valid transfer, so the network records it as final. A fake airdrop works the other way round: it drops a token into your wallet to lure you to a claim site.
Sources: ethereum.org: Security and scam prevention (giveaway scams), FTC: What to know about cryptocurrency and scams, bitcoin.org: Avoid scams (giveaways) · checked 4 October 2026
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Educational content, not financial advice. Written by hand and checked against the source named above. Something wrong? Tell us and we reply within two business days.