Europe remains one of the most active regions for cryptocurrency adoption — and, unfortunately, one of the most targeted by online fraud networks.
In 2025, scammers are working across borders, exploiting gaps in regulation and using language localization to deceive investors.
At ScamHelp, we’ve seen thousands of reports from victims across the EU and the UK. Below, we highlight how crypto scams are evolving in each region and what red flags to watch for.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom: Deepfakes and Telegram “Trading” Communities
The UK continues to be a major target for crypto fraud.
Fraudsters are flooding Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube with deepfake celebrity ads featuring fake endorsements from British figures such as Martin Lewis and Richard Branson.
These ads lead to fake trading platforms promising daily profits or “AI-powered bots.” Once deposits are made, withdrawals are blocked and the sites vanish.
Another 2025 trend is Telegram trading groups. Scammers fill these groups with fake members and bots that post screenshots of “winning trades.” Victims are later sent to private brokers who disappear after receiving funds.
Most common UK scams:
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Fake celebrity investment ads
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Telegram trading bot communities
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“Recovery agents” claiming they can retrieve lost funds
🇩🇪 Germany: Phishing Exchanges and Fake Wallet Apps
Germany has become a hotspot for fake exchange websites and wallet drainers — often written in fluent German to look trustworthy.
Criminals register near-identical domains to real exchanges like Kraken or Bitpanda, adding words like secure or verify to appear official.
Phishing emails are another growing threat. Many pretend to be from local banks, warning about “unauthorised logins.” Victims who click the link land on cloned login pages that steal credentials or wallet keys.
Meanwhile, malicious Android wallet apps are spreading on third-party app stores, draining crypto immediately after installation.
Most common scams in Germany:
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Fake exchange websites using .de domains
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Phishing emails from “banks” or “support teams”
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Malicious wallet apps pretending to be updates
🇮🇹 Italy: Romance Meets Investment Fraud
In Italy, scammers are combining romance and investment fraud into one powerful trap.
Victims are contacted on dating apps or Instagram by profiles posing as successful traders abroad. After weeks of friendly or romantic chats, the scammer introduces a “safe” trading platform that shows fake profits.
These fake sites are translated into natural Italian, accept local payment methods, and later demand “tax” or “verification” fees when victims try to withdraw.
Most common scams in Italy:
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“Pig-butchering” (romance-investment) scams
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Fake brokers using Italian payment systems
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Recovery firms asking for upfront fees
🇫🇷 France: Regulator Impersonation Scams
In France, scammers have begun impersonating official regulators like the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF).
Victims receive emails or letters claiming to be from “investigators” offering to recover stolen funds — but only after paying an administrative fee.
Others create entire websites mimicking AMF’s design, with copied logos and certificates.
Most common scams in France:
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Fake AMF or regulator websites
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“Official” recovery services requesting fees
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Deceptive trading apps or verification pages
🇪🇸 Spain: Social Media Investment Hoaxes
Spain’s younger crypto audience is being hit by Instagram and TikTok investment scams.
Scammers promote “exclusive Spanish crypto projects” through influencers and paid ads, urging users to “invest early” or “join private Telegram groups” for presale tokens.
Once the hype fades, both the site and the influencer accounts disappear.
Fake mining contracts promoted through WhatsApp are also on the rise.
Most common scams in Spain:
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Fake presale token projects
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Influencer-driven investment promotions
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Fraudulent mining or staking contracts
🇵🇱 🇷🇴 🇧🇬 Eastern Europe: High-Yield DeFi and Recovery Scams
Across Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria, scammers are running high-yield DeFi investment schemes that promise daily or weekly returns.
Most operate from servers in Asia but use local languages and payment processors to appear legitimate.
A second wave of fake recovery companies has also emerged — posing as fund-retrieval specialists, charging victims service fees, and then vanishing.
Most common scams in Eastern Europe:
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High-yield DeFi investment platforms
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Fake recovery services
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Token presales without real liquidity
How Scammers Exploit Borders
Crypto scams move faster than international law.
Fraudsters host websites in one country, register shell companies in another, and target victims in a third.
This cross-border structure slows investigations and confuses enforcement.
That’s why dispute resolution and blockchain tracing are essential. ScamHelp works with global compliance partners to track transaction flows and help victims identify where their funds were sent — no matter where the scammer operates.
Protecting Yourself Across Europe
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✅ Always verify official exchange domains and contact information.
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✅ Avoid clicking sponsored ads or Telegram investment links.
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✅ Never pay “tax,” “withdrawal,” or “verification” fees.
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✅ Report suspicious websites to your national financial regulator.
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✅ Act quickly if you’re targeted — document everything before the website disappears.
ScamHelp: European Reach, Global Expertise
ScamHelp assists victims across Europe in tracing transactions, contacting payment providers, and filing regulatory reports.
Our multilingual team handles cases in English, German, Italian, French, and Spanish, ensuring your case is properly documented for authorities and financial institutions.
If you’re based in Europe and suspect you’ve been scammed, contact ScamHelp today for a free consultation. Acting fast can make all the difference in recovering your funds.
