If you are a cryptocurrency investor, chances are scammers have tried devious ways to take your cryptocurrency from you. As a speaker at the 1000X.global conference, I was honored to speak on avoiding cryptocurrency scams, and at the request of the 1000X.global organizers, I compiled this recommended actions document.

First, if you receive a email, text, social media message or phone call from someone you don’t know, it is best to assume it is a scam, especially if they are asking for cryptocurrency, money or personal information.

Second, if you are not sure about the legitimacy of the company, NFT or other Web 3.0 investment, I recommend using the following actions:

1. Carefully look at the email or communication to see if there are any typos, incorrect spelling or grammatical mistakes. I have caught many scammers this way.
2. Carefully look at their website and social media accounts to see if they are professional and polished. Again, carefully look to see if there are any typos, incorrect spelling or grammatical mistakes. I have caught many scammers this way as well.
3. Carefully read their white paper. Does the business model make sense? Are they offering a fixed/guaranteed rate of return, such as 10% profits per week? This is probably a Ponzi scheme and a scam.
4. Use government websites to research if the company is registered or if there are any investigations or complaints about the company. Here are some very helpful US Government websites:
   • Securities and Exchange Commission - https://bit.ly/47tRnEA
   • Commodities Futures Trading Commission - https://bit.ly/3GihP8c
   • Federal Trade Commission - https://bit.ly/40YAlM4
   • Department of Treasury/Office of Foreign Assets Control - https://bit.ly/3uy9L0i

Use the following technology actions to protect yourself and your crypto from scammers:

1. Use hardware/cold wallets. There is this famous saying in Blockchain, not your keys, not your crypto, if you don't hold the private keys to a wallet, the centralized exchange can at any time crumble and go away with your funds. It is best to use cold storage for large funds you are not ready to use in the long run. 
2. Use multi-factor authentication. Your wallet is as secured as your weakest link to that wallet. I use multi-factor identification on all of my accounts.
3. Don’t use your main wallet to interact with multiple DApps when trading.
4. You should have an independent wallet with very little funds and be used to interact with DApps, smart contracts or NFTs you don't know or trust.

I hope this helps you protect your crypto, money and personal information! 

Eric Guthrie - Author, Blockchain or Die (Amazon #1 Bestseller 6X)

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