There is no single permanent list of fake crypto trading websites, because scammers register new domains every week and recycle names once one is exposed. The reliable approach is to check the warning lists that regulators actively maintain, such as the CFTC’s RED List, California’s Crypto Scam Tracker, the UK FCA Warning List and Singapore’s MAS Investor Alert List, and then run a few quick checks of your own on the domain, the app and the withdrawal process. A site that is absent from every list is not automatically safe, and this guide shows how to judge it.
Fake crypto site checker
Compares a link against the official domains of major wallets, exchanges and DeFi apps, and flags lookalikes. The check runs in your browser; the address is not sent anywhere.
A match only means the domain is the official one; it cannot detect a hacked site or a malicious transaction. Our list covers major apps and is not exhaustive.
The short version
- Search the platform’s name on at least two official regulator lists, and look it up on the registration database for the country it claims to be licensed in.
- Check the domain’s age and spelling, and download apps only via links from the company’s verified website.
- Any demand to pay a “tax,” “unlock fee” or “deposit” before you can withdraw is the clearest sign of a scam.
- Fake wallet apps steal your recovery phrase on setup; a fake trading site shows profits that never existed.
- If you’ve already sent money, stop paying, save evidence and report to the FBI’s IC3 and your state regulator. Beware of “recovery” services.
Why we don’t publish a list of fake crypto trading websites
Static lists go stale quickly. A scam site might live for a few weeks before it is taken down and replaced by an identical clone on a new domain with a slightly different name. A list published today would miss next month’s sites and could wrongly tar a legitimate company with a similar name. Regulators update their databases continuously and include details such as the dates of alerts and the exact web addresses involved, so they are the sources worth checking. For an overview of scam types themselves, such as pig butchering, address poisoning and rug pulls, see our crypto scams guide.
Official lists of fake and unregistered crypto trading websites
| List | Run by | What it covers | How to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| RED (Registration Deficient) List | US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) | Foreign firms that appear to be acting in a capacity requiring CFTC registration but aren’t registered; many offer crypto or forex trading | Search cftc.gov for “RED List”; inclusion is a warning, not a finding of fraud |
| Crypto Scam Tracker | California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) | Websites and companies reported by consumers, searchable by name, scam type or keyword | Search the platform name and its web address; DFPI notes reported losses are not verified |
| Warning List | UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Firms operating without FCA authorization or known to be running scams, including clones of real firms | Search the FCA Warning List, then confirm any claimed authorization on the FCA Register |
| Investor Alert List | Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) | Unregulated entities that may have been wrongly perceived as licensed by MAS | Search the list, then check MAS’s Financial Institutions Directory |
| State securities and financial regulators | US state agencies (find yours through NASAA) | Cease-and-desist orders and investor alerts | Search your state regulator’s site for the platform’s name |
| International alerts | IOSCO’s I-SCAN portal | Warnings collected from securities regulators worldwide | Useful when a platform claims to be licensed in another country |
Absence from these lists proves little. New scam sites often operate for weeks before anyone reports them. Use the lists to rule platforms out, then do your own checks.
How to check if a crypto trading site is a scam: seven checks
- Verify the license, not the logo. Fake platforms display badges for the SEC, FCA or “FinCEN license.” Look the company up yourself in the official register for that country: NFA BASIC for CFTC registrants, the SEC’s and FINRA’s search tools for brokers, NMLS Consumer Access for US money transmitter licenses, or the FCA Register. Make sure the website address in the register matches the site you’re on, because clones copy real firms’ names and registration numbers.
- Check the domain age and spelling. Run the domain through ICANN’s lookup tool. A “global exchange” whose domain was registered a few weeks ago is a strong warning sign. Watch for extra letters, swapped characters, hyphens or unusual endings that imitate a real exchange.
- Look at how you found it. Most fake trading sites are introduced by a person: a new friend from a dating app, a “wrong number” text that turned into a friendship, a “mentor” in a Telegram or WhatsApp group, or a sponsored ad. Legitimate exchanges don’t need a stranger to coach you onto them.
- Test a withdrawal early. Deposit a small amount and try to withdraw it straight away. Scam platforms often allow one small withdrawal to build trust, then block larger ones, so a single success doesn’t clear a site, but a failed or delayed first withdrawal is decisive.
- Watch for the “pay to withdraw” demand. Being told you must pay a tax, a verification fee, a margin top-up or an anti-money-laundering deposit before you can withdraw is the signature of these scams. Real exchanges deduct fees from your balance; they don’t ask for new money. The FBI and state regulators repeatedly warn about this tactic.
- Treat guaranteed or fixed returns as fraud. Daily returns that never vary, “AI arbitrage bots” with no losing days, and VIP tiers unlocked by bigger deposits are not features of real markets.
- Search beyond the site’s own reviews. Search the domain name plus “scam” or “withdrawal” and read regulator alerts and forum reports. Ignore testimonials on the site itself and reviews on pages that also push a phone number for “support.”
Fake crypto wallet apps
A fake crypto wallet is a malicious app or browser extension that imitates a real wallet such as MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Phantom or a hardware wallet’s companion app. When you create or import a wallet, it sends your recovery phrase to the attacker, who empties it later, sometimes weeks later so you don’t connect the two events.
For a deeper look, our guide to spotting fake crypto wallet apps covers six common patterns, how to verify a real download and what to do if you installed one.
- Reach app stores through the official website. Type the wallet’s domain yourself and follow its link to the App Store, Google Play or browser extension store. Don’t install from search ads, social posts or direct download links.
- Check the publisher. The developer name should match the company exactly, with a long history and large download count. Fake listings sometimes copy the icon and screenshots perfectly.
- Never enter an existing recovery phrase into a website, a “wallet validation” form or an app you’re not sure about. Phrases belong only in the wallet itself during a restore.
- Be wary of hardware wallet “replacement” offers. Letters or emails telling you to set up a new device with a phrase they provide, or to enter your phrase to “upgrade” a device, are scams.
- Beware fake support. Fake “support” phone numbers seeded across forums and review pages, and fake support accounts replying to your complaints on social media, are common routes to fake apps and phrase theft.
Broader account hygiene, including hardware keys, address allowlists and transaction simulation, is covered in our crypto security guide. NFT collectors face similar clone-site tactics; see how to spot NFT scams.
Real exchange vs fake trading website: quick comparison
| Signal | Legitimate exchange | Typical fake platform |
|---|---|---|
| How you found it | You sought it out; widely covered | Introduced by a new online contact or group “mentor” |
| Registration | Verifiable in the official register, with matching web address | Badge or certificate image only, or a cloned registration number |
| Domain | Established, consistent across years | Recently registered; lookalike spelling |
| Returns | Prices move both ways; no promises | Steady guaranteed gains; “can’t lose” signals |
| Withdrawals | Network fee deducted from balance | New “tax” or “unlock fee” must be paid first |
| Deposits | Bank transfer or card through the platform | Send crypto to an address given in chat; sometimes via a crypto ATM |
What to do if your funds are stuck on a fake site
- Stop sending money. No fee, tax or deposit will release the balance; the balance shown was never real.
- Save evidence: the site’s address, screenshots, chat logs, wallet addresses you sent to, and transaction IDs.
- Report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov), the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov), your state securities or financial regulator, and, in California, the DFPI. Outside the US, report to your national regulator and police.
- Notify the exchange you sent funds from. If the stolen crypto lands at a regulated exchange, law enforcement can sometimes request a freeze.
- Secure your accounts. If you installed any app the scammer suggested or shared a recovery phrase, move remaining funds to a fresh wallet.
- Ignore recovery offers. People who contact you promising to trace and recover your crypto for an upfront fee are running a second scam. Law enforcement agencies don’t charge to investigate.
Our wallets and security hub collects further guides on protecting accounts after an incident.
FAQ
Where can I find an up-to-date list of fake crypto trading websites?
Use regulator databases rather than blog lists. In the US, check the CFTC RED List, California DFPI’s Crypto Scam Tracker and your state securities regulator. In the UK, use the FCA Warning List; in Singapore, the MAS Investor Alert List; and IOSCO’s I-SCAN collects alerts globally. These are updated continuously and include exact web addresses, unlike static lists that go stale within weeks.
How can I tell if a crypto wallet app is fake?
Check that you reached the app store listing from the wallet’s official website, that the publisher name matches the company exactly, and that it has a long history and large download count. Be suspicious if the app asks you to import an existing recovery phrase as its first step, or if it was recommended by someone in a chat. When in doubt, don’t enter your phrase.
Can I get my money back from a fake crypto trading website?
Recovery is difficult and never guaranteed. Report quickly to IC3, the FTC and your regulator, and give your exchange the transaction details; funds that reach regulated platforms can occasionally be frozen. Never pay a “recovery agent” or “lawyer” who contacts you first, and never pay a withdrawal fee to the scam site itself, since both lead to further losses.
Is a site safe if it isn’t on any warning list?
No. Many scam sites operate for weeks or months before regulators list them, and clones appear on new domains constantly. Absence from a list only means no one has reported it yet. Verify the license in the official register, check the domain’s age, test a small withdrawal, and walk away if anyone asks you to pay to access your own funds.
Crypto is volatile and risky; this is education, not financial advice. Do your own research.
