A text meant for someone else can be the first step in a crypto scam that ends with real money lost. Here is how it works and what to do.
A text from a stranger asking for someone else is often not a mistake. According to Engadget, it is frequently the opening move of a scam that builds a fake friendship and then steers the victim toward putting real money into crypto. Americans lost over $1 billion to romance scams in 2025, so the problem is large and not going away.
It starts with a message addressed to a name that is not yours. If you reply politely that it is the wrong number, the sender thanks you for being kind and asks to be friends. Some even call it fate. Soon they suggest moving the chat to WhatsApp or Telegram, where they check in through the day with harmless questions, like whether you have eaten.
Many chats turn romantic. The scammer may sympathize with personal things you share, such as the loss of a spouse. Photos are common, often claiming to show Asian women who are entrepreneurs in big US cities. They hint at wealth with luxury purses or a day at a fancy golf course.
After a short stretch of normal talk, crypto comes up. The new friend says a family member made a lot of money. You are pushed to sign up with a real crypto exchange, then shown screenshots of supposed gains. You buy real crypto and send it to a platform they control. In reality, it goes to their wallet and is gone.
One payment is rarely the end. Fake growth numbers encourage more deposits, and some victims are urged to take out loans or borrow from friends. When you try to withdraw a large amount, you may be told to pay taxes and fees first, only with new deposits. Then the scammer may insult you and vanish. Getting money back is very unlikely.
Victims can be hit again. The Engadget writer received a Telegram message from someone claiming to be a past victim. It said a hacker could recover lost money and would charge nothing unless it worked. That is a follow-up scam. Anyone posing as a lawyer, detective or similar helper is trying to take more. Posting online about being a victim raises the risk, though random messages are now common too.
Anyone with a phone number can be targeted. Relatives who are less comfortable with technology are a particular worry, since they may answer a stranger out of politeness. The writer also notes these messages now arrive mostly on Telegram rather than SMS, and may begin with a voice message, which can be more convincing.
The steps in the alert box above cover the basics. The bigger habit is to stay skeptical. Treat anything involving gift cards, and nearly anything involving crypto from a new contact, as a scam until proven otherwise. Share less about yourself in public forums, since scammers use those details to seem like a match. Pass all of this on to family.
Do not answer texts from unknown numbers, and never send crypto or gift cards to someone you only know from messages.
A Georgia sheriff says scammers are calling families and demanding cash to free a jailed relative. Real jails do not work that way, and the call is built to rush you.
Read more: Sheriff warns of phone scam demanding money to free jailed relativesIowa's senior Medicare fraud program says scammers are using fake plan offers, texts and calls during sign-up season, and a stolen Medicare number can block your care.
Read more: Medicare scammers are targeting older adults during sign-up seasonScammers are emailing Humboldt County well permit applicants and demanding $5,960 before a permit is issued. The county says the fee is fake.
Read more: Fake County Emails Demand $5,960 Fee for Well Permits
