Know the signs.Stop the scam.

Real stories from crypto holders, and expert guidance on spotting a scam before it costs you.

Think you’re being scammed? Pause.

Steve Wisniewski spent his NFL career protecting the quarterback. A scammer still got through.

In this short film, Steve talks about what happened and the warning signs he sees now, so it doesn’t happen to you.

Been scammed? Telling what happened could help someone else spot the signs sooner.

It can happen to anyone. Here’s what the FBI and Coinbase want you to know.

Coming soon

Agents from the FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit on the warning signs and what to do.

Prevention, protections and user education.

Scammers count on you deciding alone, and deciding fast. Before you send money or share a code, run it past someone you trust. It takes one message.

Six messages people really get. Decide if each one is a scam before the clock runs out.

Take a breath. Before you send money, click a link or share a code, remember PAUSE.

Pressure is the warning
If you’re being rushed, slow down. Urgency is a scammer’s favorite tool.
Ask someone you trust
Tell one person in your life before you send money or share anything.
Use official channels
Look up the real number or website yourself. Never use contact details you were sent.
Stop before you send
No real bank, agency or business asks you to pay in crypto, gift cards or cash.
Share your experience
Talk about close calls and report losses. It protects the people around you.

You’re not alone, and it’s not your fault. Reporting quickly gives you the best chance of limiting the damage, and it helps stop the next scam.

Scammers often come back posing as people who can get your money back. Real agencies never charge a fee to do that.

0 of 3 steps done

Report it to the FBI
File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Include wallet addresses, transaction IDs and messages.
Go to IC3.gov
Report it to the FTC
Tell the Federal Trade Commission what happened. Reports help track scams and warn others.
Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Contact your exchange or wallet
Reach support through the official app or website you already use, never through a link or number someone sent you.

Learn how scams work and how to protect yourself, in short lessons you can take at your own pace.

Get the latest from NCA, straight to your inbox.

Help us reach people before scammers do.

NCA makes this guidance free. We work with organizations to put it in front of the people they serve. If that is part of your job too, get in touch.

43% of Americans who don’t own crypto rank security and fraud concerns among their top three reasons for staying out.

Source: NCA 2026 Crypto Readiness Report. Conducted online by The Harris Poll among 2,014 U.S. adults who don’t own crypto, June 24 to July 1, 2026.