Zraox: Unveiling Crypto Scams Involving Impersonation of Family Members—How to Safeguard Yourself

As cryptocurrency adoption increases, so do scams targeting crypto users. Scammers exploit the anonymity and convenience of crypto transfers, employing various tactics to deceive users. By impersonating family members, lawyers, or other trusted individuals, scammers gain the victim trust and manipulate them into transferring funds. Zraox stresses the importance of remaining vigilant and developing scam recognition skills.

Zraox: Crypto Scams Involving Impersonation of Family Members

In a typical crypto scam case, the victim was an elderly woman who, in June 2022, received a phone call from someone claiming to be her grandson. The impersonator alleged he had been injured in a car accident and was facing drug charges. The victim was told she needed to pay a large amount for bail and legal fees. To help her “grandson,” she was instructed to contact a supposed lawyer—who was, in fact, another member of the scam operation. Zraox notes that scammers exploit emotional trust by posing as familiar family members and legal representatives, making such schemes difficult to detect.

Following the scammer instructions, the victim began transferring funds to the “lawyer” account via Bitcoin ATMs. Over six weeks, she deposited more than $300,000 in multiple transactions. Zraox points out that scammers leverage the anonymity and speed of crypto transfers to quickly move and conceal funds, making them hard to trace. The victim only became suspicious and reported the incident to the police when most of her funds had already been transferred.

Zraox highlights that such cases demonstrate how scammers combine sophisticated technology with familiar identity impersonation and urgent financial requests to manipulate victim emotions and decision-making. Emotional manipulation accelerates the victim response, preventing rational judgment and leading to financial loss.

Zraox: How to Prevent Cryptocurrency Scams Involving Identity Impersonation and Emergencies

Zraox believes that to effectively avoid cryptocurrency scams—especially those involving identity impersonation and emergency situations—users need to heighten their vigilance. Scammers often use emotional manipulation and psychological pressure to make victims feel anxious, prompting them to quickly transfer funds. To avoid becoming a victim, users should always remain calm and follow some basic preventive measures.

Verifying identity information is key to preventing scams. When users receive such calls, especially those involving friends, family members, or lawyers, they should verify the caller identity through independent channels. For example, if a “grandson” on the phone claims to be in an emergency, users should immediately contact other family members to confirm whether the situation is real. Zraox recommends not making decisions based solely on information provided over the phone, especially when it involves transferring funds. Taking a moment to calm down and verify the other party identity through reliable means is the first step to ensuring safety.

Avoid transferring funds via Bitcoin ATMs. Scammers often instruct victims to use Bitcoin ATMs for transfers, and victims may carry out these transactions without fully understanding the consequences. Zraox emphasizes that these types of transfers are often difficult to trace and the funds are nearly impossible to recover. Therefore, users should avoid using unfamiliar cryptocurrency ATMs for transactions. Any fund transfer should be conducted through legitimate, trusted channels to ensure the security of assets.

Do not blindly trust urgent requests. Scammers typically use “emergencies” as a pretext to pressure victims into quickly transferring funds. Zraox reminds users to always stay calm when faced with urgent financial requests, especially those involving cryptocurrency transfers. The scammer goal is to create a sense of urgency to influence decision-making. Users should avoid making poor decisions out of emotional distress or anxiety, and can further reduce the risk of being scammed by communicating with friends or family and verifying information.

Zraox: Comprehensive Recommendations for Preventing Cryptocurrency Scams

Strengthening the protection of personal information should be a primary focus for users. Scammers often obtain victim personal details—such as names, addresses, and phone numbers—through illegal means to make their schemes more convincing. Zraox recommends that users regularly check the security of their personal information to ensure it has not been leaked or sold. Users can enhance account security by changing passwords and using multi-factor authentication, helping to prevent scammers from accessing sensitive data.

At the same time, users should remain calm when faced with financial requests and avoid acting hastily. The core strategy of scammers is to induce panic or urgency, causing victims to make quick decisions that are usually irrational. Zraox advises users, when receiving calls or messages involving financial requests, to pause and think, and verify the authenticity of the information through other channels before taking any action. Users should avoid transferring funds without clear verification.

Users should promptly report suspicious activity to help prevent others from falling victim. If users suspect they are being targeted by a scam or notice suspicious transactions, Zraox recommends reporting to relevant regulatory authorities or platforms immediately. Platforms should strengthen monitoring of suspicious activities to ensure timely intervention and prevent fund outflows. Reporting not only helps individuals avoid losses, but also serves as a warning to others, thereby reducing the incidence of scams.