I never imagined I’d get caught in a celebrity-backed scam—but that’s exactly what happened. I saw a video clip on TikTok of a major Hollywood actor promoting a token called StarXCoin. The video had millions of views, and dozens of influencers were talking about it. I checked their website, saw endorsements, partnerships, and tons of excitement.

They were running a “pre-listing” token sale. The community swore it would 10x after launch. I was so convinced that I pulled together $3,500 and bought in.

Turns out, the celebrity clip was deepfake-generated, the endorsements were fake, and the influencers were paid shills. The moment the sale ended, the token was dumped. The team sold everything, crashed the price, and vanished.

To this day, the token sits in my wallet, worth less than a cup of coffee. I felt ashamed for being duped, but the scam was so sophisticated, I now understand how easily people get trapped.