You got scammed. What’s next?

Scams are nothing new; they’ve always existed. But something has changed in recent years—and it’s not heading in a good direction.

Cryptocurrency scams come in many forms—romance scams, investment schemes, pump-and-dump, rug pulls, wallet heists, SIM swapping, phishing, wallet drainers, and more. What’s changed in recent years is the sheer number of these scams emerging and the scale at which they operate.

Post-COVID, online fraud has surged unprecedentedly. Many people, having lost money in traditional markets and feeling isolated from their communities, turned to the internet for alternative investments. They trusted the online options they found as much as traditional markets, often with devastating consequences.

Scammers quickly seized this massive opportunity, running their operations like corporations. They rented offices, hired employees, set up payroll systems, and even had HR departments. This corporate-style scaling enabled them to launch and manage hundreds of scam investment platforms simultaneously.

They developed refined blueprints to quickly set up operations in another city or country when law enforcement begins investigating. They exploit less regulated jurisdictions like Cambodia, China, the UAE, and Eastern Europe, often using these locations for residency and banking. Rather than focusing on hiding, they prioritize mobility, staying ready to relocate as needed.

In a world where crypto scammers quickly adapt to technology and globalization, relying on the first Google article or a standard law enforcement fraud alert advertisement isn’t enough to protect yourself or plan your next steps. You need to go further and explore all your options.

Thousands of victims, tens of thousands of scripts

Scammers want to keep you engaged and thinking about them 24/7. That’s why they use real-time communication platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, or website live chats. Real-time access to your emotions through text allows them to manipulate and convince you to 'invest' more money. The more concerns a victim raises, the more scammers refine their sales, marketing, customer service, and follow-up scripts for future victims.

Cut all communication with them as soon as you recognize the scam. You won’t recover your money by depositing more—that’s a logical fallacy. The website showing promised profits isn’t real; it’s been manipulated from the start. Your deposits went straight to the scammers.

The cute Asian lady? She isn’t real—or worse, she’s working for them

It all starts with that one innocent message, doesn’t it? A genuine text sent to the wrong number. Being the kind person you are, you politely point out the mistake. The cute lady apologizes and wants to be friends—a refreshing change in today’s world of declining social connections.

But it’s not. That first message was sent by an automated SMS blaster. You, along with millions of others whose phone numbers were exposed in countless cyber breaches or public data, were targeted. It cost them just $0.01 to send you that SMS, but it could earn them thousands—or even tens of thousands—through fraud.

During COVID, scammers only needed to steal a Chinese model’s Instagram photos to commit fraud. However, as people have become more aware of such schemes, scammers have adapted. With their corporate-like scaling, they can now hire real models to send voice messages, video chat with you, and convincingly persuade you to part with your money. They enjoy lavish lifestyles, vacations, and fine dining—all paid for by scammers to create more convincing photos for their victims.

Scammer Inc.

Scammer Inc, a play on the words Scammer and Incorporated.

All kinds of scams eventually evolve into organized crime. When crypto scams transitioned to organized crime, they adopted the strategies of tech companies—establishing subsidiaries and offices in developing nations where law enforcement is either ineffective or willing to turn a blind eye for a bribe.

They operate like tech companies—using recruiters, posting job listings on LinkedIn, and building or renting accommodations for employees. The twist is that potential employees are often tricked into the job with promises of work in countries like Thailand or Malaysia. Once there, they are smuggled to third countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, or Laos, where scammers often operate in rebel-controlled regions that provide protection and large compounds for their activities.

Scammers frequently choose countries like the UAE (Dubai), Oman, or Eastern European nations for their operations. These locations offer better access to banking, make it easier to attract employees, and provide scam owners with the opportunity to live lavishly.

Cities like Dubai, for instance, have extensive networks of crypto exchanges where you can walk in, transfer cryptocurrency, and walk out with millions in cash. Similarly, many Dubai-based online exchanges collaborate with well-known Chinese money laundering services.

Scammers today often operate from heavily guarded, barbed-wire compounds in Southeast Asia. These locations are protected by private security, rebel groups, or even local military. Employee accommodations have barred windows, and yes, many workers are there against their will. Those who fail to scam enough people or attempt to escape face brutal punishments such as tasering, beatings, being stripped naked, or being confined to a cupboard-sized solitary cell without food or water.

For companies like Van Orton, investigating scammers’ real-life activities is just as crucial as tracking their on-chain crypto operations. This dual approach helps investigators build a detailed picture of how scammers operate, including their strengths, weaknesses, laundering methods, physical locations, and ultimate beneficiaries.

Screenshots, screenshots and more screenshots

If you’re a victim, no matter which path you choose—law enforcement, lawyers, or crypto recovery consultants—it’s crucial to document all interactions with the scammers. Save chats, emails, payment records, wallet addresses, website domains, the amounts lost, and anything else relevant to building your case.

Follow the money, find the crime—this motto is more relevant than ever in today’s world, where blockchain records are inherently public. The information you provide is crucial for tracing assets on-chain, across chains, and even into the fiat world. Data doesn’t lie, and neither does the blockchain.

Van Orton offers the holistic approach you need for crypto scam investigations. Beyond analyzing cryptocurrency transactions, we leverage open-source intelligence and blockchain cash-out patterns to uncover how criminals launder stolen funds. We then use this information to identify real-world assets and the identities of scammers, increasing the chances of recovery. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to contact us anytime.