By 2019, cryptocurrency scams had officially entered the mainstream. What began as isolated incidents in previous years evolved into highly organized global fraud networks, each with its own playbook, communication structure, and digital infrastructure. The victims were no longer only early crypto adopters—teachers, retirees, small business owners, and everyday investors were now being targeted.
Throughout the year, we began seeing consistent patterns:
• Romance-investment hybrids, where emotional manipulation funneled victims into fraudulent trading apps
• So-called “account managers” who convinced victims to grant wallet access under the promise of expert guidance
• Offshore CFD platforms impersonating legitimate crypto brokerages to collect deposits without ever executing trades
• Fake recovery companies charging upfront “release fees” and recycling victim data between scam rings
The flood of new cases pushed our internal capabilities forward. Kyle refined our crypto-tracing methodologies, developed standardized reporting templates, and trained the rest of the investigative team on blockchain verification techniques. These were pivotal steps that shaped the foundation of what later became one of our strongest service lines.
2019 was also the year we built the first draft of our Scam Broker Directory—a database that has since expanded into thousands of profiles and continues to help victims identify fraudulent platforms before engaging with them.
If you’re currently dealing with a suspicious broker, wallet compromise, or fraudulent trading app, our structured investigative approach can help you understand exactly what happened. You can learn more through our financial investigations practice or reach out directly for a confidential review.
For immediate assistance, please contact us.