The Social Media Giveaway That Preyed on My Excitement
Scrolling through Instagram one day, I saw a post from a well-known crypto influencer celebrating a milestone—100,000 followers. The post announced a massive giveaway to thank their supporters: anyone who sent Bitcoin or Ethereum to a specific wallet address would receive double the amount in return. The giveaway was “limited to the first 100 participants,” creating a sense of urgency.

The post looked legitimate, complete with the influencer’s branding and a video message thanking followers for their support. The comment section was filled with people claiming they had already received their doubled funds, which further convinced me it was real. Without thinking too much, I sent 0.5 ETH (around $1,000 at the time) to the address provided.

Hours passed, but nothing came back. I started to worry and decided to check the influencer’s official page. To my shock, there was no mention of any giveaway. I realized I had been tricked by a fake account that mimicked the influencer’s profile perfectly, down to the username, profile picture, and even their posting style.

I reported the account and flagged the wallet address, but I knew my funds were gone for good. This scam taught me a painful but important lesson: never trust giveaways that require you to send funds first. Legitimate giveaways don’t ask for upfront payments or involve such transactions. Always verify announcements directly on official platforms, and remember that scammers often use urgency to pressure you into acting without thinking.