With bitcoin going through an extended bull-run, scammers and con artists have been on hand to exploit a general fear of missing out (FOMO). Many early adopters of bitcoin became multi-millionaires by simply holding the digital asset.
New Scam Tactic
Consequently, many bitcoin investment scams have sprung up and millions of dollars have been lost to fraudsters. Although some education and awareness campaigns have helped to expose some of the sinister scam tactics, it appears new and more brazen ones are emerging.
One such new tactic implies that investors can buy or own shares in Bitcoin itself, as if it was a corporation. This tactic is for example part of an elaborate plot used by individuals behind an operation called Bitcoin Inc, to con ignorant investors into mistaking the operation for “the real Bitcoin”.
In a presentation, the shareholders of “Bitcoin Inc” depict bitcoin as the creation of a privately owned company that came into existence around the year 2010. The timing of Bitcoin Inc’s emergence appears to give the impression that the organisation is likely behind the issuance of bitcoin itself.
Using half-truths and outright false claims, the scammers’ webpage says some investors already hold bitcoin shares through Bitcoin Inc’s full corporate shares after buying these in 2010. According to information on the site, there is a “21 million BTC maximum limit and 1000 Bitcoin Inc full corporate shares maximum limit.” One full corporate share is “equivalent” to 10 BTC.
Now in order to entice ignorant investors, the website implies that anyone who bought and has held on to one full corporate share since 2010, now has an investment portfolio valued at $210,000. This is because BTC has since risen from the
