Introduction
Scams are everywhere on the Internet. They take a thousand forms:
“winning” contests, fake investment platforms, disguised emails…
Some are so well constructed that they seem plausible, especially when they exploit our emotions.
To avoid them, it's not enough to know the outward signs of a scam—you need to understand the psychology of the fraudster .
Here's a simple method, illustrated by a real-life example.
1. Example of a fake crypto contest
On Discord, a message announces:
"Congratulations! You have been selected from among the crypto server users. You have won 0.75 BTC!"
The message invites you to create an account on a site called ricchie.com to collect your earnings.
The interface looks legitimate: logo, dashboard, "exchange" and "support" sections, etc.
Everything seems normal until you look more closely.
2. The psychological trap
The fraudster always has one thing in mind: making their story believable.
They know that the smoother the experience seems—the form, the account, the displayed balance—the more you'll believe it.
They're not just trying to deceive you technically, but to build your trust .
The result: you tell yourself "it might be true".
And that's when the real trap snaps shut.
3. The method to unmask any scam
Here's the key: never judge a site's legitimacy based on what it claims to offer .
Ignore the "gift," the "reward," or the "promise" and focus on the independent credibility of the source.
- Does the site have a proper "About" section?
- Can we identify the company: address, number, team?
- Is the content complete or hastily generated?
- How long has the site's domain existed?
- Are there any mentions on Google of other users or of a real history?
In our example, the “news” and “terms of use” pages display only empty sentences.
There is no sign of any real activity: the site only serves to make you believe you have won.
4. The moment everything changes
Once logged in, the site correctly displays “0.75 BTC in your account”.
But when you try to transfer the amount, a message appears:
“Please pay a small withdrawal fee”.
That's where the scammer makes money.
Not from your "winnings", but from your gullibility and your payment of "fees".
5. The real difference between a business and a scam
A legitimate website will function normally, even if you don't follow its script.
Try browsing elsewhere, using other features: if everything freezes or seems artificial,
you're dealing with a fake website.
A genuine business can handle the unexpected.
A scam, on the other hand, only knows how to manage one path: the one that leads to your money.
6. In summary: the anti-scam reflex
- Ignore the offer and evaluate the source.
- Check external credibility (reviews, seniority, legal notices).
- Refuse any payment of “fees” to obtain a gain.
- Remember: con artists copy the appearance, not the substance.
Conclusion
Scams evolve, but their weakness remains the same:
they cannot simulate the complexity of a real business.
If you test a website beyond the intended scenario, inconsistencies will quickly become apparent.
Stay curious, skeptical, and informed.
A critical mind is worth more than all the antivirus software in the world.