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Defi Scams – Most Common Scams in the DeFi Space

Published

2 years ago

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In the world of Defi, scams are unfortunately all too common. This article looks at popular Defi scams, how they operate, and how to protect yourself.

We’ll also provide tips on what to do if somebody scammed you and how to report a scammer. Finally, we’ll discuss the implications of DeFi scamming and present examples of successful prosecutions.

What Are DeFi Scams, and How Do They Work? 

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is a term that has gained enormous popularity over the years. DeFi is the shift from centralized financial systems to peer-to-peer finance enabled by decentralized technologies built on the Ethereum blockchain.

DeFi promises a more equal and accessible financial system, but it’s still largely unregulated. Lack of regulation has made DeFi a haven for fraudsters, who have plundered millions from unwary consumers.

We can summarize a typical scam in three steps:

  1. The scammer creates a fake project or impersonates an existing one.
  2. The scammer promotes the fake project or impersonates the existing one to generate interest and attract users.
  3. The scammer exits the scam, leaving users with worthless tokens or no access to their funds.

The Most Common Types of DeFi Scams 

There are many types of scams in the DeFi sector, but some are more common than others. Let us look into a few of this industry’s most frequent criminal schemes.

Phishing scams

DeFi is not immune to phishing scams. Due to the intricacy of several DeFi protocols, fraudsters have managed to successful target newcomers. 

The most common type of phishing scam in the DeFi space is impersonation. This is when a scammer creates a fake website or social media account that looks identical to a legitimate one. 

They will then use this fake account to try and trick users into sending them money or personal information. Another common type of DeFi scam is the Ponzi scheme. Instead of investing the money, the fraudster pays out previous investors. 

This scam is widespread in the DeFi space, as there are often high returns from investing in new protocols.

Scams Involving Fake or Stolen Identities

One of the most common scams in the Defi space is identity theft. Someone uses your personal information to register a new account or access an existing one. 

They may also use your information to apply for credit cards or loans or to make purchases in your name.

Another way that identity theft can occur is when someone steals your private key or recovery phrase. This gives them access to your accounts and allows them to make changes or send funds without your permission.

Pump and Dump Schemes

If you are not new to the field of financial investments, then you must have probably heard about pump-and-dump schemes. 

A group conspires to acquire a cryptocurrency at the same moment to drive up its price. Afterward, it sells it when at the peak price after promising a group of traders that this would not happen.

Pumpers make a profit, whereas dumpers lose. Sadly, it’s as simple as that. Pump and dump schemes are not new and have been around for quite some time. They are so common that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued an investor alert about them.

Forgery and Counterfeiting of Digital Assets

Unfortunately, not every project in the DeFi world is legitimate and original. Forgery and counterfeiting are rampant, with scammers selling digital assets that don’t exist or aim to look like something else.

This scam generally happens when someone creates a website or social media account that looks identical to a legitimate project. However, the page has slight changes that allow the scammer to redirect funds to their wallet. 

For example, a scam on Twitter happened when someone created a fake version of the popular Defi project Uniswap. The account looked identical to the official one, except that it had one letter changed in the URL. 

This small change allowed the scammer to siphon over $150,000 worth of Ether (ETH) from unsuspecting users.

Fraudulent Activities Associated with Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) 

Last but not least, ICOs tend to have an association with fraudulent activities. In an ICO, a company offers digital tokens for investors’ fiat currency or cryptocurrency. However, many ICOs are scams, with companies using the funds raised to enrich themselves instead of developing the project.

A severe fraud associated with ICOs is when the team behind the project absconds with the funds. This type of fraud is, technically, an “exit scam.” 

In an exit scam, the team often creates a fake project website and whitepaper, promising huge returns to investors. They will then raise money from unsuspecting investors and make off the cash, leaving investors high and dry.

How to Protect Yourself from DeFi Scams 

At this point, you will probably be wondering how you can protect yourself from falling into one of these scams. Below are a few tips.

  1. Do your research: This is the most important thing you can do. When you are looking at a project, make sure to read up on it as much as possible. Look at the team’s backgrounds and the project’s roadmap, and try to find as much information as possible.
  2. Don’t invest more than you can afford to lose: This general rule applies to all investments, but it is essential in the DeFi space. These projects are still very new, and there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding them. As such, you should only invest an amount you are comfortable losing.
  3. Beware of social media scams: Social media is a great way to stay up-to-date on all the latest news in the crypto world. However, it is also an excellent way for scammers to reach many people. Be careful about the links you click on and the information you trust.
  4. Look for projects with KYC and audit certifications: If a project has undergone a KYC (know-your-customer) or audit process, it passed a vetting procedure. This adds an extra security layer and gives you peace of mind. SolidProof, PeckShield, Hacken, and Solidity Finance are popular companies taking care of this aspect.

What to Do If Somebody Scammed You

If you think someone scammed you, there are a few things you can do:

  1. First, try to resolve the issue with the person or company you believe scammed you. This may be difficult, but it’s always worth a shot.
  2. Contact your local consumer protection agency if you can’t resolve the issue.
  3. You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
  4. Finally, you can contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options.

How to Report a DeFi Scam 

If you think you’ve been the victim of a DeFi scam, consider taking a few actions to report the criminals.

First, report it to the project team or protocol developers if possible. They may help you recover your lost funds or take action to prevent others from being scammed in the future.

You can also report the scam to a crypto exchange or wallet provider. Obviously, this is applicable if you used any of these channels to access the DeFi project. Many of them have fraud departments that can help you get your money back or prevent future scams.

Finally, you can report the scam to law enforcement. This is often a long shot, but it’s worth doing if you’ve lost a significant amount of money.

The Consequences of DeFi Scamming 

Besides losing your money, scamming in the DeFi sector has several adverse effects on the industry. For instance, it undermines the trust in decentralized finance protocols and gives scammers free marketing.

When a user falls into a scam, it’s not only the investor who loses money. The whole DeFi industry is negatively affected by it. 

Scammed users will likely be more cautious in the future, leading to a decrease in trust in decentralized finance protocols. Using popular DeFi protocols and services, they can reach a larger audience and scam more people. In addition, it gives scammers free marketing. 

Examples of Successful DeFi Scam Prosecutions 

In recent years, there have been several successful DeFi scam prosecutions. Here are some notable examples:

In 2019, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged a company called EtherDelta with operating an unregistered securities exchange. The Ethereum blockchain-based decentralized exchange EtherDelta enables users to swap ETH and ERC20 tokens.

The SEC alleged that EtherDelta’s founder had illegally profited from the exchange by operating it as an unregistered broker-dealer. Coburn agreed to pay $300,000 in penalties and disgorge nearly $13 million in ill-gotten gains.

In 2020, the CFTC accused My Big Coin Pay, Inc. of running a fraudulent virtual currency operation.

My Big Coin Pay promised investors they could use virtual currency to buy and sell goods and services. However, the CFTC alleged that the company used investor funds to pay for personal expenses, including travel and luxury goods.

The CFTC ordered My Big Coin Pay to pay $6 million and disgorge nearly $360,000 in ill-gotten gains.

These are just a few examples of the many successful DeFi scam prosecutions that have taken place in recent years. These cases show that law enforcement is taking action against DeFi scams. If you have been a victim of a DeFi scam, you should contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options.

The Importance of Verifying Senders and Receivers Before Transferring Funds 

One last thing you should consider before transferring funds is verifying both the sender’s and receiver’s addresses. Too many people have fallen victim to scams because they didn’t confirm the address before sending funds. 

If you’re not sure how to verify an address, here are a few tips: 

  • Check if the address is valid on Ethereum’s leading network. You can do this by pasting the address into a block explorer like EtherScan. 
  • Make sure the address has a balance. If it doesn’t, that could be a sign that it’s not a valid address. 
  • If you’re sending funds to an exchange, check if the exchange has a page on EtherScan. If it does, compare the addresses to make sure they match. 

These are just a few of the many ways you can verify an address. By taking these extra steps, you can help protect yourself from scams.

Bottom Line – Protecting Yourself from DeFi Scams Takes Education and Awareness

The best way to protect yourself from DeFi scams is to educate yourself and stay aware of the latest scams. Understanding how these scams work can help protect yourself and your hard-earned money.

Contact a lawyer to discuss your options if you think you may have been a victim of a DeFi scam. There were case

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Press Release

Shemaroo, One of India’s Leading Media Corporates, Partners with PWR Chain to Pioneer the Next-Level Metaverse Experience for Their 200M-Strong Audience

Published

5 hours ago

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November 22, 2024

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  • ShemarooVerse, exclusively launching on PWR Chain, merges Shemaroo Entertainment’s extensive content library with advanced blockchain technology. 

Shemaroo Entertainment, a leader in India’s media and entertainment industry for over six decades, has announced a strategic partnership with PWR Chain, an advanced Layer 0 blockchain infrastructure. Through this alliance, PWR Chain becomes the official blockchain partner for ShemarooVerse, Shemaroo Entertainment’s immersive platform set to deliver next-generation immersive content. This partnership is a landmark step in India’s entertainment and technology landscape, combining Shemaroo Entertainment’s vast content offerings with PWR Chain’s scalable and environmentally efficient blockchain capabilities.

With an expansive digital footprint across more than 50 content channels on YouTube, Shemaroo Entertainment commands over 200 million subscribers and garners 100 million views daily across diverse categories, including Bollywood, regional, television, devotional, and children’s entertainment. ShemarooVerse will leverage PWR Chain’s high-speed, decentralized infrastructure to create an immersive, interactive digital experience for audiences in India and beyond.

PWR Chain’s blockchain technology is among the most sustainable, operating with a minimal carbon footprint. Unlike conventional blockchains that require high energy resources, PWR Chain achieves high throughput with minimal power, processing over 300,000 transactions per second while using only a single CPU core per validator node. This efficiency allows ShemarooVerse to scale seamlessly without environmental impact, setting a new standard in green blockchain technology for the entertainment industry.

As Shemaroo Entertainment transitions its expansive IP portfolio onto the blockchain, PWR Chain’s infrastructure offers creators unique opportunities to monetize their content through tokenization and digital collectibles, a pivotal innovation in India’s content landscape. 

The advanced interoperability and scalability of PWR Chain enables ShemarooVerse  to leverage PWR Chain’s developer-friendly design, the first blockchain that allows deploying full software applications in traditional coding languages. By leveraging PWR Chain’s instant finality and quantum-resistant security, ShemarooVerse offers users a secure, dynamic, and immersive digital space for authentic engagement with Shemaroo Entertainment’s iconic content.

Arghya Chakravarty, COO of Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd., said, “Partnering with PWR Chain marks a transformative leap in digital engagement for Shemaroo Entertainment. ShemarooVerse will benefit from the speed, scalability, and sustainability of PWR Chain’s blockchain infrastructure, offering audiences a more immersive, secure entertainment experience. We are thrilled to bring ShemarooVerse to life in a way that resonates with the evolving preferences of digital consumers.”

Melanie Mohr, CEO at PWR Labs, added, “Shemaroo Entertainment’s leadership in Indian entertainment provides an ideal platform to demonstrate PWR Chain’s high-performance, eco-friendly blockchain technology. This partnership not only underscores the potential of blockchain for enhancing digital experiences but also positions PWR Chain to drive growth and create engaging opportunities within India’s entertainment industry.”

This partnership highlights Shemaroo’s commitment to digital innovation and sets a precedent for India’s entertainment industry by bridging traditional media with Web3. By exclusively hosting ShemarooVerse on PWR Chain, Shemaroo Entertainment and PWR Chain are set to reshape India’s digital landscape, offering creators and fans new, dynamic ways to engage with content. 

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The Key to Mass Adoption: QuantumFusion’s Developer-Friendly SDK

Published

8 hours ago

on

November 22, 2024

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  • Why dApps Haven’t Reached the Mainstream

Blockchain technology has long promised to revolutionize our digital interactions, yet widespread adoption remains slow. Other than the battle for regulatory clarity necessary for institutional capital to flow into DeFi and other utility sectors, there are three key fundamentals we believe are currently inadequate for mass adoption:

  1. Speed
  2. Cost
  3. Reliability

Ethereum has the largest DeFi market cap by a significant margin; according to DeFiLlama, over 60% of the total value locked in DeFi is on Ethereum, even higher if you bundle in its Layer-2 solutions, like Arbitrum and Optimism. 

But nobody can reliably use Ethereum at a reasonable cost. Data from Etherscan gives an average of $23.36 per swap as of 11/18/2024, completely unfeasible for the average user. Additionally, Ethereum’s time to settle a transaction (finality) of 12-15 minutes and the very low transaction per second the network can handle (15-30 TPS) is not up to the task of mass adoption. 

We’ll give Ethereum its due; it is extremely reliable, and this is a contributing factor in its dominant position within the DeFi space. Everyone wants to build on Ethereum, but relatively few can afford to use what is being built. 

You might have heard people say, “Solana has none of the issues facing Ethereum; it’s cheaper and faster!”

And they’d be correct, but only on the speed and cost front. 

One of the critical issues facing Solana is reliability. Blockchain outages cause the near-complete shutdown of all on-chain activities. During these outages, many are left helpless, watching themselves get liquidated and unable to do anything about it. To put it simply, fast and cheap is only useful if you aren’t left with your pants down when the network crashes. 

All of this is to say the user experience for most dApps is not where it needs to be: useable but nowhere near the standard of Web2. As seen in the case of Ethereum, utility developers want to build on a chain that won’t break, has excellent performance characteristics, and, most importantly, is developer-friendly.

We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. No advancement in computing is required; we’re not talking about a theoretical, futuristic concept that will take decades to realize. 

Henry Ford didn’t invent the car, he just figured out how to make them faster and more efficiently than everyone else.

QuantumFusion is to the blockchain industry what Ford was to the auto industry.

But how?
High Transaction Throughput for a Seamless User Experience

QuantumFusion’s infrastructure revolutionizes transaction speed and cost, addressing the limitations of slower blockchains like Ethereum. Powered by the SPIN (Short-term Parallel Incremental Network agreement) consensus protocol, it achieves 0.1-second block finality, enabling real-time transactions without bottlenecks or delays–essential for applications like gaming or high-frequency trading.

Faster, cheaper transactions significantly enhance user experience, reducing frustrating wait times and making blockchain applications practical for everyday use. Scalability is central to QuantumFusion’s design, supporting high-demand, real-time applications without congestion. 

With 100-millisecond finality and targeting 10,000+ TPS, QuantumFusion enables a plethora of blockchain applications:

  • Real-time social networks with real-time posts and interactions.
  • Blockchain gaming with secure, verified assets and actions.
  • Financial applications with fast, reliable settlements comparable to centralized exchanges.
  • Collaborative tools for seamless decentralized teamwork; on-chain Google Docs.

Unlike networks that struggle under heavy loads, QuantumFusion embraces them by balancing speed, cost, and reliability, enabling a robust ecosystem for developers and users alike. 

QuantumFusion sets the stage for blockchain’s mainstream adoption.

QuantumFusion’s Native-First SDK: Simplifying Development for Mass Adoption

For blockchain to achieve mass adoption, developers need tools that are powerful, intuitive, and designed with real-world usability in mind. QuantumFusion’s native-first SDK aims to redefine how dApps are built, focusing on seamless integration and superior performance in both desktop and mobile environments—where users increasingly interact with technology.

Most crypto participants are using their mobiles; as of January 2024, 63% of visitors to Kraken’s website accessed the platform via mobile devices, while just 37% used desktop computers.

To meet market demand, it is essential to cater to mobile users. To do that, the infrastructure must build a development environment with that in mind. QuantumFusion has built its SDK utilizing light clients like Smoldot to provide mobile users with real-time, low-latency experiences.

Unlike many existing platforms that prioritize web-first development, QuantumFusion’s SDK delivers a native-first approach, enabling dApps to feel as intuitive and responsive as traditional Web2 applications. 

Additionally, through Smoldot, QuantumFusion’s SDK supports WebAssembly, enabling developers to work in their preferred programming languages–this acts as a talent multiplier; the pool of potential developers is huge. Empowering the creation of complex, scalable applications from DeFi platforms to real-time gaming is half the battle; attracting the creators is key.

The goal of the SDK is to create a future-proof environment where developers can create dApps for the end-user without being forced to optimize for desktop in a world where everyone is using mobile. Bridging the gap between user-friendly tools and blockchain innovation ensures developers can focus on building dApps that not only perform but also captivate.

QuantumFusion’s SDK is more than a toolkit—it’s the key to unlocking the QuantumFusion blockchain’s potential, paving the way for mainstream adoption with simplicity, efficiency, and accessibility at its core.

Join the QuantumFusion Revolution

Web3 has immense potential, but the issues of speed, cost, and reliability are barriers to a smooth user experience. No one will use infrastructure that only works sometimes, and even when it does, it costs a small fortune and an unreasonable length of time to do anything worthwhile.

If the Web3 experience isn’t at least on the same level as Web2, then how are we going to attract mainstream attention?

QuantumFusion is breaking through these limits with an ecosystem designed from the ground up to deliver what users and developers have long been waiting for: seamless, scalable, and accessible blockchain solutions.

That’s it; that’s the goal. 

Through their SDK, QuantumFusion equips developers to create dApps that feel as intuitive as the best Web2 applications. Whether for mobile or desktop, this toolkit empowers innovation with real-world usability and future-ready performance. Paired with 0.1-second block finality, QuantumFusion makes real-time, cost-effective transactions a reality.

This is more than just incremental improvement; it’s a reimagining of what blockchain can achieve with a roadmap of how we can get there. QuantumFusion’s infrastructure unlocks opportunities that have only been half-realized so far. It isn’t just solving old problems—it’s setting a new standard for what blockchain technology should deliver.

Explore QuantumFusion, follow their progress, and help us build a decentralized future for everyone. 

Website: https://qfnetwork.xyz

X: @QuantumFusion_

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Press Release

MemeSparks.com Launches Innovative Service Integrating Web3 with AI Text-to-Video Technology

Published

8 hours ago

on

November 22, 2024

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MemeSparks.com, a revolutionary Web3 platform, announced the launch of the first-ever platform integrating Web3 with AI-driven text-to-video technology. This innovative platform has the potential to drastically reduce the time, cost, and resources of video production. Its goal is to help memecoin developers and teams produce high-quality products faster and at substantially lower costs. The newly-launched service is available in exchange for the $MEMEKS utility token and Solana (SOL).

MemeSparks.com harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to transform written scripts into prime video content. The platform relies on the transparency and security of smart contracts to facilitate safe transactions between creators and consumers. This technology ensures creators receive fair compensation for their work and clients engage in digital transactions within a secure environment.

The platform will be available globally, allowing creators from various backgrounds and geographical locations to receive appropriate financial reward for their content. More importantly, anyone in the world can become a video producer even if they lack the necessary skills but have an idea for video content.

MemeSparks.com is steadily building a powerful, decentralized ecosystem with a digital marketplace at its center. Here, creators can rent out or sell their content produced via the platform’s AI text-to-video technology. The marketplace will support two tokens, $MEMEKS or SOL coins. The generated profit goes to the Community Wallet, which is controlled by the developers. The latter have already pledged to give monthly reports on its use and will only get a 10% share from the wallet for their services. Another 10% will go toward the platform’s marketing and the $MEMEKS coin development. The platform’s website maintenance will receive 20% while the remaining 60% will be used according to the votes of $MEMEKS holders.

The platform will also have a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), allowing members to vote and decide marketing strategies, partnerships, airdrops, etc. Purchasing $MEMEKS tokens will automatically make users part of the DAO. The organization will function via two entities, the Council of Creators and the General Assembly. Every proposal advanced for voting will require a minimum quorum of 20% of total $MEMEKS. Lastly, the voting process will be 100% transparent to all members, and it will feature pre-voting discussions and clear rules to ensure complete fairness.

The advent of AI technology will reshape numerous industries, including video production. MemeSparks.com aims to spearhead the technological revolution in this field by delivering a user-friendly service for developers and creators. This platform fuses Web3 with AI text-to-video technology  to democratize video content production, and boost interactivity and engagement for audiences. It also uses a transparent and effective decentralized governance model to give consumers unmatched control over the digital art they create and the platform’s development.

Jay Chambers, CEO, Core Developer and founder of MemeSparks.com, commented on the platform’s mission:

“Our vision was to create a platform where creativity meets technology in its purest form. By integrating Web3 with AI text-to-video, we’re not just launching a product. We’re setting the stage for the next generation of digital content creators and consumers. This is about empowering people with tools that were once exclusive to large studios or tech giants.'”

The platform’s development does not end here. MemeSparks.com plans to introduce more features, including AI-driven editing tools, enhanced creator monetization options, and more interactive viewer experiences. Ultimately, the platform should become the meeting place for creators, investors, and technology enthusiasts, where they can innovate via a unique integration of Web3 and AI.

About MemeSparks

MemeSparks.com is a groundbreaking project aiming to empower creators and consumers into producing high-quality and cost-effective content faster than ever before. The platform seamless integration of Web3 and AI text-to-video produces cutting-edge technology. Above all, it fosters a more sustainable future for creative freedom and digital ownership for users worldwide.You can learn more about MemeSparks.com and stay up-to-date with its developments here: Website | X (Twitter) | Telegram

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