Exit Scam

Understanding the Concept of an Exit Scam

An exit scam refers to the situation where a cryptocurrency project disappears with the funds of its investors, either during or after the initial coin offering (ICO) phase. The scam involves individuals known as “whales” who engage in activities like advertising and promotions to artificially increase the cryptocurrency’s price. They later sell off their coins, leaving investors in a difficult position. Identifying such scams can be challenging as they often resemble unexpected and rare events, similar to a black swan event. However, exit scams occur more frequently than the latter.

Exploring the Crypto Exit Strategy

The strategy behind an exit scam is relatively simple: a project introduces a cryptocurrency platform based on a promising concept, raises capital from investors, operates for a short period, and then disappears, leaving investors in a difficult situation.

A History of Exit Scams in the Crypto Industry

In recent times, several projects have adopted the rug pull strategy, which is another form of an exit scam. Even well-known projects endorsed by prominent public figures have fallen victim to this category. One notable example is the recent TITAN project by Iron Finance, which gained popularity primarily due to an investment made by Mark Cuban.

Another instance involves the sale of Logan Paul’s NFTs, where three holders of 3,000 NFTs had the opportunity to win a Pokemon First Edition bundle worth $40,000. Initially, these NFTs garnered significant attention, driving their value above $20,000. However, most of them are currently listed on OpenSea at a price of approximately $1,000.

Understanding the BitConnect Exit Scam

On January 16, 2018, Bitconnect announced the closure of its currency exchange and loan operations following cease-and-desist orders from regulators in Texas and North Carolina. After shutting down, the platform, which was running a Ponzi scheme, reimbursed users with BCC (the native token). The value of BCC plummeted from its all-time high of around $465 to less than $1 within a week.

Tips for Protecting Yourself From Exit Scams

Prior to investing in tokens promoted by popular YouTubers (often at inflated prices), it is crucial to conduct thorough research on the project. Many projects are mere replicas of existing solutions without a solid foundation for future growth. Additionally, exercise caution when dealing with projects that promise high returns. Regularly utilize price tracking platforms like CoinMarketCap to stay updated with the latest information and resources related to crypto tokens.