Basic Scams:
1. SMS Scams
After placing an order, the scammer may utilize your phone number (linked to a third-party payment platform, like PayPal), which has been revealed in your payment method details, to send you a fake SMS notification of payment arrival and confirmation request while chatting with you. If you release your assets without verifying your balance, you will fall victim to the scam. Please note that you should log in to online banking or download the banking app to check your balance before releasing your cryptos.
2. "Pay For Me"
Scammers may use a third-party payment platform like PayPal and send you an image requesting you to pay on their behalf. Since this image closely resembles a transfer evidence, you may end up losing assets without receiving the payment if you don't check your balance before releasing your cryptos.
Additionally, when making transfers, be cautious if the other party is using a fixed amount QR code. For example, if you scan the code and it displays a payment amount of $XXXXX, it means the scammer has set the payment amount. Therefore, if you fail to verify, you may end up paying $1,000 while intending to pay only $100.
3. Fake Payment Receipts
Scammers may send you a fake receipt after placing an order and clicking "I've paid". To avoid falling for this scam, make sure to verify your balance through online banking or third-party payment platforms before releasing your cryptos.
Advanced Scams:
1. Be cautious if two users place identical orders simultaneously. User A makes the payment but doesn't mark it as paid, while user B, without making a payment, may presents a screenshot of user A's payment to urge you to release the cryptos. If you fail to verify the payee, you may end up releasing your cryptos wrongly to user B who does not actually pay.
2. In certain cases, users are paying 1,000 CNY for orders worth 10,000 CNY or 1,000 USDT. We kindly request that you contact our customer support team to investigate the reasons for such occurrences. Please note that some instances may be the result of inexperienced users rather than intentional scams.
Masterful Scams:
Scenario 1:
Scammers A and B both place an order with you and then add you as a friend via IM using reasons like "Seeking long-term cooperation. Thanks for your consideration."
After some time, scammer A changes their IM information to another identity and contacts you to buy crypto. They suggest conducting the transaction offline, requiring a guarantor, who can be a customer service staff or an employee of the trading platform, or a crypto influencer. Scammer B will then changes their IM information to the guarantor accordingly. Lastly, scammers A and B will create a group chat with you to proceed the transaction. You will fall victim to the scam if you release your cryptos before receiving the payment.
Note: Scammer B may also impersonate other members of the same group, requesting you to transfer your cryptos to a specific address. They might also pretend to be customer service staff and provide fake screenshots. Please note that Poloniex employees will never act as a guarantor for crypto trading.
Scenario 2:
A, pretending to be B, contacts C and says, "I have cryptos to sell for $20,000 each (slightly below the market price). I'm B, and I'll post an advertisement. Please place an order on it." Meanwhile, A reaches out to B offline, saying, "I'd like to buy cryptos from you. Please post an advertisement, and I'll place an order." In this "triangle" transaction, B is the seller and C is the buyer, while B deceives the two parties. A asks C (buyer) to send a screenshot of the placed order, which A forwards to B (seller) as A's proof of order placement. A then asks B (seller) to mention A's name to C in the chat window of the order. Or A contacts C (buyer) via other messaging channels, asking C to transfer the money to another receiving account of "B" (A's account in fact) by pretending to be the advertiser and mentioning his/her real name A. As a result, C (buyer) will transfer the funds to A, while B (seller), without receiving the payment, will not release the cryptos.
Note: Avoid mentioning someone's name in the order's chat window. Always pay with the payment method linked to the other party under the same name displayed on the platform.