What are the red flags of this scam?

Any firm that guarantees specific percentage returns on crypto is misleading you — crypto values fluctuate and no returns can be guaranteed • Claims of '0 fees, 0 risks' on a cryptocurrency investment are a hallmark of fraud — no legitimate investment is risk-free • The firm is not registered with the FCA — check https://register.fca.org.uk before placing any money • You are encouraged by existing investors (often friends or family members who received early payouts) — Ponzi schemes pay early investors using new funds to generate referrals • You can withdraw returns for a while, but then encounter delays, excuses, or site shutdowns when you try to take out your principal • The firm operates only online, has no physical UK office, and provides no verifiable address

What should I do if this happened to me?

Check the FCA Register at https://register.fca.org.uk and the FCA Warning List at https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/warning-list-unauthorised-firms before investing anything. • If you have already invested, stop paying any additional fees or 'reinvestment' requests immediately — each additional payment is a further loss. • Contact your bank or payment provider to report the transfer and ask about fraud reimbursement options. • Report to the FCA at https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/report-scam and to Report Fraud at https://www.reportfraud.police.uk. • Consider reporting to the Insolvency Service if the firm is still operating — they have powers to petition the court to wind up companies in the public interest. • Report to Report Fraud at https://www.reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

CRITICAL crypto Last reported: 29 Sept 2026 Share

An unregistered crypto firm guarantees 40–100% returns with "zero risk" — it is a Ponzi scheme

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. Unregistered firms promise guaranteed crypto returns of 40–100% with "0 fees, 0 risks." No genuine trading occurs. New investor funds are used to pay earlier investors in a Ponzi structure. UK courts have ordered wind-ups; victims recover little. Check the FCA register before placing any money.

Unregistered firms promise guaranteed crypto returns of 40–100% with "0 fees, 0 risks." No genuine trading occurs. New investor funds are used to pay earlier investors in a Ponzi structure. UK courts have ordered wind-ups; victims recover little. Check the FCA register before placing any money.

Also known as: crypto guaranteed returns scam UK, unregistered investment firm UK, Ponzi crypto scheme UK, fake crypto investment firm UK, guaranteed crypto profit scam

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.

What to do right now

1 Check the FCA Register at https://register.fca.org.uk and the FCA Warning List at https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/warning-list-unauthorised-firms before investing anything.
2 If you have already invested, stop paying any additional fees or 'reinvestment' requests immediately — each additional payment is a further loss.
3 Contact your bank or payment provider to report the transfer and ask about fraud reimbursement options.
4 Report to the FCA at https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/report-scam and to Report Fraud at https://www.reportfraud.police.uk.
5 Consider reporting to the Insolvency Service if the firm is still operating — they have powers to petition the court to wind up companies in the public interest.
6 Report to Report Fraud at https://www.reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

Red flags

⚠ Any firm that guarantees specific percentage returns on crypto is misleading you — crypto values fluctuate and no returns can be guaranteed
⚠ Claims of '0 fees, 0 risks' on a cryptocurrency investment are a hallmark of fraud — no legitimate investment is risk-free
⚠ The firm is not registered with the FCA — check https://register.fca.org.uk before placing any money
⚠ You are encouraged by existing investors (often friends or family members who received early payouts) — Ponzi schemes pay early investors using new funds to generate referrals
⚠ You can withdraw returns for a while, but then encounter delays, excuses, or site shutdowns when you try to take out your principal
⚠ The firm operates only online, has no physical UK office, and provides no verifiable address

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Sources