I never thought I’d be tricked by a token presale scam, but that’s exactly what happened to me. It all began when I came across a tweet from a supposedly official account called CryptoFundX. The tweet promised early access to a presale for a new token that was “backed by industry leaders” and “guaranteed to moon.”

The presale offer seemed too good to pass up. They claimed that CryptoFundX would be listed on major exchanges within weeks, and early investors would get a massive return on their investment. The website looked polished, with a detailed whitepaper, tokenomics, and even an introduction video from the “founding team,” who had LinkedIn profiles that seemed legitimate.

I did my due diligence—or so I thought. I joined the Telegram group, which had thousands of members, all discussing the project’s potential. The admins were active, responding quickly to questions. They even posted charts showing projected profits based on previous token sales.

The presale was exclusive, with a limited amount of tokens available. I purchased $4,000 worth of the token through their official presale link, and I received a confirmation email and transaction ID. Everything felt official. I even convinced a couple of friends to join in. But once the presale ended, I started seeing warning signs.

The team behind CryptoFundX began making excuses for delays in token distribution. They requested that everyone fill out additional forms to verify wallet addresses. When I tried to contact customer support, no one replied. The social media accounts that had been actively promoting the presale were deleted, and the website went offline within days.

I later found out through crypto forums that CryptoFundX was a classic pump-and-dump scam. The creators collected funds, manipulated the market with fake hype, and then disappeared once enough people invested.

I was devastated—not only because I lost money but because I had trusted a seemingly legitimate presale. Always be cautious of any “exclusive” token sale, especially if the project is not listed on established platforms or verified by reputable sources. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement, but research and skepticism are key.