Crypto Scams: How to Spot Fake Airdrops, Scam Exchanges, and Frozen Assets

When you hear about a free crypto airdrop, a promotional giveaway of tokens meant to spread adoption. Also known as free crypto, it can be a real opportunity—or a trap designed to steal your wallet keys. Too many people lose money because they don’t know the difference between a legitimate drop and a well-designed lie. In 2025, fake airdrops are the #1 way scammers get access to your crypto. They copy real project names, use fake websites, and even hire actors to pretend they’re from the team. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

Then there’s the scam crypto exchange, a platform that looks official but blocks withdrawals, hides its location, and has no license. Also known as ghost exchange, it’s how people lose thousands after depositing their coins. AEX and Bit4you aren’t anomalies—they’re common. These platforms vanish overnight, taking your funds with them. Regulated exchanges like Criptoloja exist because they’re required to follow rules. Scams don’t. They don’t need to. And that’s the problem.

And don’t forget about frozen crypto assets, crypto funds seized by authorities because they were tied to unlicensed or illegal operations. Also known as crypto crackdowns, these aren’t random—they happen when governments step in to protect people from fraud. The Philippines froze $150 million in 2025 because exchanges were operating without permits. Users lost money not because crypto failed, but because they trusted platforms that shouldn’t have existed.

These three things—fake airdrops, scam exchanges, and frozen assets—are all connected. They’re symptoms of the same problem: people rushing into crypto without checking who’s behind it. You don’t need to be an expert to stay safe. You just need to ask: Is this real? Who’s running it? Can I find proof? If the answer is no, walk away.

Some projects pretend to be something they’re not. Richard Mille (RM) has nothing to do with the luxury watch brand. TOKEN 2049 copies the name of a real conference to trick traders. DeFiHorse claims to have an airdrop—but it doesn’t exist. These aren’t mistakes. They’re deliberate lies. And they’re everywhere.

Meanwhile, regulators are catching up. Thailand requires $2.1 million just to apply for a license. Namibia bans foreign platforms. Norway limits mining to protect energy. These aren’t attacks on crypto—they’re attempts to stop the bad actors from poisoning the whole space. The more rules there are, the harder it is for scammers to hide.

You’ll find real stories here—not theory. You’ll see how people lost money on AEX, how a fake DeFiHorse airdrop fooled hundreds, and why the RadioShack DeFi project is pure fiction. You’ll learn what to look for before you click "Claim Now" or deposit your first coin. This isn’t about fear. It’s about awareness. The crypto world has incredible potential, but only if you know how to protect yourself.

Below, you’ll find detailed breakdowns of real scams, verified warnings, and clear steps to avoid becoming the next victim. No fluff. No hype. Just facts.