Shenzhen Cracks Down on Crypto Scams Masquerading as ’Legit’ Investment Platforms
Another day, another crypto scam—but this time, Shenzhen officials are sounding the alarm. Fraudsters are dressing up Ponzi schemes as cutting-edge investment platforms, preying on retail FOMO. Here’s how to spot the red flags before your portfolio gets wrecked.
The Bait: Too-Good-To-Be-True APYs
These platforms promise double-digit yields with ‘zero risk’—a classic hallmark of vaporware. Spoiler: if it bypasses basic financial logic, it’s probably a trap.
The Switch: Phantom Teams & Copied Whitepapers
Anonymous ‘dev teams’ and plagiarized project docs? Cue the exit scam. Real projects don’t hide behind LinkedIn stock photos.
The (Non-)Payout: Vanishing Acts
Withdrawal delays turn into full-blown ghosting. By then, the ‘platform’ has already rug-pulled—leaving bagholders blaming crypto instead of their own due diligence.
Meanwhile, TradFi banks still charge 0.01% interest without a hint of irony. Stay skeptical, stack wisely, and remember: if a ‘guaranteed return’ sounds legit, you’re probably the exit liquidity.
On July 7, the Shenzhen Municipal Task Force Office for Preventing and Combating Illegal Financial Activities issued a stern warning to the people of China regarding the risks associated with stablecoin and digital assets, urging citizens to avoid unregulated schemes.
Shenzhen Government Warns About Rising Stablecoin Scams
As digital currencies, especially stablecoins, continue to receive attention from the market and institutions, some shady groups and fake fundraising investments are tricking investors into digital asset scams. The Shenzhen government discovered that these illegal institutions use “financial innovation” and “digital assets” as gimmicks to lure investors with shams.
These illegal groups trick people into risky trading and try to disturb the financial system. They pretend to be real investment companies to run scams like illegal fundraising, gambling, fraud, pyramid schemes, and money laundering.
Authorities Highlight the Protection Measures
The Shenzhen government authorities have opened up the importance of due diligence and caution when engaging with digital assets, suggesting that citizens verify the legitimacy of any investments and be wary of exaggerated promises.
The authority also requested the citizens to report the relevant illegal institutions and illegal fundraising in the name of stablecoin to the non-leading department of the city or district, or the public security. Shenzhen Municipal Task Force stated–
“The relevant departments will verify the reported clues, crack down on them according to law, and reward the informants according to regulations.”
Importance of Law Obligation in China
China has already banned cryptocurrency in the country, as the government does not trust any crypto projects that operate outside of state control. The country has strict rules against illegal fundraising, so if a stablecoin investor invests in one of these scams and loses, the law says the loss is on you, not the government. The Shenzhen government encourages the people to follow these strict regulations by saying informants who provide useful tips may even be rewarded.
Final Thought
These fake private crypto schemes have made the government extra cautious, as China had already banned cryptocurrency to promote state-backed digital currency, the digital yuan. The unlicensed stablecoin schemes will not be tolerated in the country as the authorities focus on managing the financial chaos.
