Is the stranger teaching me to invest in crypto a scam?
Last reviewed: 2026-08-01 · Checked with Hunch’s on-device engine, the same one inside the extension. How Hunch checks →
Part of our guide: How to spot a fake job offer →
Almost certainly. A friendly stranger who reached you through a “wrong number” text or a dating app, moved the chat to WhatsApp or Telegram, and is now coaching you to “trade” crypto on a platform they recommend is running a long-con known as pig butchering. The warmth is the setup; the trading platform is fake. You may be allowed to withdraw a small early “profit” to build trust, then you’ll be urged to deposit more, and the larger balance can never be withdrawn.
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People who are lonely, recently single, or simply open to a new connection are the mark, because this con runs on a relationship that feels real rather than a hard sell. Trust builds slowly and the early “win” reads as proof; by the time the deposits get large, the victim is invested in both the money and the person, which is what makes it so hard to accept that none of it was ever real.
Illustrative example of the pattern, not a real message someone received.
How to verify it yourself
- Be very suspicious of anyone you met online who pivots to teaching you crypto, the relationship exists to set up the “investment.”
- A small early withdrawal that works is bait; the real test is trying to withdraw everything, which will suddenly require “taxes” or “fees.”
- Check whether the trading platform is a licensed, well-known exchange, scam platforms are slick apps or sites you’ve never heard of.
- Never let a “mentor” screen-share your wallet or tell you which buttons to press to deposit.
Common questions
is the person teaching me to invest in crypto a scam
Almost certainly, if you met them online and they steered you to a specific trading platform. Genuine friends and partners don’t manage your crypto “trades”, that role is the scam’s engine.
I met someone online who wants to help me trade crypto
That is the classic pig-butchering setup. A stranger from a wrong-number text or dating app builds rapport, then uses it to pull you into a fake investment. Stop depositing and step back.
why can’t I withdraw my crypto profit
Because the platform is fake and the “profit” isn’t real. Demands for “tax,” “fees,” or a bigger balance before you can withdraw are how the scam keeps your money and extracts more.
is pig butchering a real scam
Yes. It’s a widespread long-con: gain trust over weeks, allow a small early withdrawal to seem legitimate, then push ever-larger deposits that can never be cashed out.
If you already responded
- Stop all further deposits immediately, do not send “taxes” or “fees” to unlock a withdrawal; that money is lost too.
- Screenshot everything: the chats, the platform, wallet addresses, and every transaction.
- Report it to the FBI at ic3.gov and at reportfraud.ftc.gov.