Topic: Is Bitcoin Safe? - page 2. (Read 286 times)
The topic is all about how newbies got scammed and it's not that Bitcoin is safe, because it depends on how they manage to care their own crypto funds. Bitcoin itself is safe already and no one is controlling it, so if newbies come across with people telling them how to invest yet they don't technically own it is not safe because this is the most likely common mistakes of a newbies, trusting their money to a total stranger thinking that they won't run with it. They should think twice.
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Scams are convincing and are getting better with time it does not always rely on the victim being greedy but relies on the victim being careless with their money
I'm pretty sure the scammers aren't even trying to be convincing again because from what I see they're just hoping on greedy or ignorant individuals to become their victims. The scams technique are outdated yet people still talk victim because of greed. Why should you store/stake your funds on some random platforms because they promise returns that aren't realistic meanwhile you would had been better off just holding those coins in your personal wallet or why should you believe some random sites telling you send them your Bitcoin and they'll double it instantly. In this industry, when things are too good to be true, they usually are.
That been said, in regards to Bitcoin been safe or not, among all the exiting cryptocurency, there's none that could be said to be safer than Bitcoin. For a fact, it was the very first to be successful and till date it has never been hacked meanwhile the so called improved crypto coins are getting their ass Whopped daily by hackers.
The question 'is Bitcoin safe' has just one answer and that's Yes Bitcoin is safe. You just have understand that with Bitcoin you're in charge of your finances therefore you should take control of the securing of your finances and ones that's done correctly you won't be exposed to hackers wanting to steal your coins.
Why would you ask if bitcoin is safe as you can see in the thread title?. I wouldn't say that bitcoin is safe. I'd rather say that a platform that most likely to scam btc from bitcoin holders then it is not safe. It is not the bitcoin that will scam you but the person or group people who are behind it. Let's say I made a website and then it is about investment that you will earn profit for 24 hours using btc then it is the person behind it and btc is just used to scam people. So, your title is a bit misleading.
Scams using Bitcoin does not mean Bitcoin is unsafe it means those services are. Bitcoin and its network is safe and 1000s of people worldwide use it on a daily basis to send transactions. Scams exist in fiat and Bitcoin and cannot be controlled because as soon as you close one down another 10 have opened. People just need to learn about the risks and mitigate those risks as much as they can. Scams are convincing and are getting better with time it does not always rely on the victim being greedy but relies on the victim being careless with their money and not using a trusted middleman when using a new service. The rules are you should always use a escrow when it is possible and that escrow should have a history of handling bigger transactions than you are sending.
Lots of newbies to Cryptocurrency have been falling a victim of scam countless times, the highest crypto scam is in btc, I've brought in an article that talks more about btc scam and how to avoid been a victim, is Bitcoin investment safe, factors to consider before buying btc, risks associated with btc, ICO's scam, crypto pump and dump schemes, keeping your crypto safe in wallets, Bitcoin security and privacy and lots more come along with this package.
One thing I can guarantee you in crypto, if you're not greedy then your chances to being scam is less, come to think of it, if something appears to be too real to be true, then is may be fake, don't be a fan of get rich fast with flashy things within the shortest period, that might be the weak point of your entry to been scammed.
One thing I can guarantee you in crypto, if you're not greedy then your chances to being scam is less, come to think of it, if something appears to be too real to be true, then is may be fake, don't be a fan of get rich fast with flashy things within the shortest period, that might be the weak point of your entry to been scammed.
Quote
Investors are more interested than ever in cryptocurrency. Criminals are too.
Reports of cryptocurrency crimes have increased 312% per year on average since 2016, according to a report from Crypto Head, a cryptocurrency news outlet that used Federal Trade Commission data to analyze cryptocurrency crime trends in recent years. These crimes can include everything from hackers stealing investors’ coins to people falling for scams related to crypto investing.
Bitcoin has the most crime reports of any cryptocurrency, which makes sense since it’s also the oldest and most-widely held crypto. Beyond digital crimes, Bitcoin’s safety as an investment is often questioned thanks to the frequency and scale of its value fluctuations.
Despite an increase in fraud and theft, many experts tout the safety of Bitcoin investments — at least in terms of cybersecurity if not investment stability — thanks to secure blockchain technology. So, is investing in Bitcoin safe? Here’s what you need to know about Bitcoin’s safety as an asset and keeping your cryptocurrency secure if you invest.
What to Consider Before Buying Bitcoin
First things first: The money you put into Bitcoin is not safe from value fluctuations.
Bitcoin is a volatile investment. If you’re looking for a “safe” investment with guaranteed returns, then don’t invest in Bitcoin — or any cryptocurrencies for that matter. Just over the past few months, the price of one Bitcoin has fluctuated between $30,000 and $60,000. Bitcoin isn’t the only volatile cryptocurrency, and other, smaller coins may be even riskier.
“Understand that these are very volatile investments, so if big fluctuations cause you to lose sleep, this isn’t the space for you,” says Dan Herron, a CFP with Elemental Wealth Advisors in San Luis Obispo, California.
Experts recommend keeping any cryptocurrency investments to less than 5% of your portfolio for exactly that reason — and to make sure you’ve got a solid conventional retirement investment plan in the first place. It’s also recommended you have an emergency fund and pay down any high-interest debts before you put any money into Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.
(Read More: Here’s How Much of Your Investing Portfolio Should Be in Crypto, According to 5 Experts)
What Are the Risks Associated With Bitcoin?
The biggest security concern for many people when it comes to Bitcoin investing — like any other digital activity — is the risk of hacking and fraud. Cryptocurrency crimes are on the rise, according to data from the Federal Trade Commission, and resulted in a median loss of $1,900 per report between October 2020 and March 2021.
Often, reported crypto crimes involve scammers requesting payment in cryptocurrency, or sending unsolicited offers to help you make money or increase your holdings, according to the FTC. “One sure sign of a scam is anyone who says you have to pay by cryptocurrency,” the agency says. You should also avoid any unsolicited offers related to crypto; do your own research and buy your coins yourself using a reputable crypto exchange.
Other types of scams to look out for
Initial coin offerings (ICOs) for fake cryptocurrencies
When a cryptocurrency is offered to investors before it’s launched to the market, it’s called an ICO (similar to a new stock’s IPO). But sometimes these new coin offerings can be fabricated, leading investors to put their money in a cryptocurrency that doesn’t actually exist.
Always research any cryptocurrency before you invest. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Read the project’s white paper and check out the founders as part of your research. For most investors — and especially beginners — it’s smart to stick to established, popular coins like Bitcoin.
Crypto pump and dump schemes
A small group of investors may pump a lot of money into a specific crypto, falsely inflating the price while convincing private investors to also invest. Then the original investors sell their shares for a profit before the price falls again. This type of scheme exists for more traditional investments, too.
Again, if an investment seems too good to be true, it probably is. Watch out for coins that have risen a lot in value without any clear reason why, the Crypto Head report recommends. This may be a sign of a pump and dump scheme.
How to Keep Your Bitcoin Safe
Hackers can gain access to individuals’ crypto wallets or breach entire cryptocurrency exchanges to steal their holdings. That’s why it’s essential to store your crypto in a safe place, and practice good digital security habits.
Cryptocurrency exchanges and third parties offer storage for your coins through hot wallets, which are secure, but still online (and therefore still susceptible to hacking). Crypto held on an exchange or in a wallet is not FDIC-insured like money in the bank. Make sure you trade and hold your crypto on a platform that offers robust security measures — including keeping a significant amount of holdings in its own cold storage and two-factor authentication for users. Some exchanges may even have private insurance policies in case of theft or hacking.
For the best protection against online fraud, many experts recommend cold storage through an offline device not connected to the internet, similar to a USB drive. But even cold storage comes with risks, like the possibility of losing access to your investment completely if you forget your password.
Bitcoin Security vs. Privacy
While you can take measures to secure your crypto holdings from hacking and theft, Bitcoin may not be any more effective at keeping your personal information private than any other traditional investment.
“Security and privacy are two separate topics,” says Kiana Danial, author of “Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies” and the personality behind @Investdiva on Instagram.
While trades you make in Bitcoin may be harder to trace than credit card purchases or direct bank withdrawals, Bitcoin transactions are not private. Bitcoin trades are tied to a hash code — a string of letters and numbers — that are unique to you, says Ollie Leech, learn editor at CoinDesk, a leading cryptocurrency news outlet.
“You’re really not anonymous, more like pseudonymous,” says Galen Moore, director of data and indexes at CoinDesk. While your activity isn’t directly tied to personal details like your social security number, the blockchain is public and there are ways that people can identify you.
But even though Bitcoin transactions aren’t private, that doesn’t mean every user can see exactly how much everyone else has bought or sold.
“In order to download the Bitcoin blockchain you would need massive, massive, computing capacity, like a supercomputer,” says Danial. “The day-to-day average Joe can’t go in and see what transactions are happening in the Bitcoin blockchain.”
If you want total privacy when you transact, then neither Bitcoin nor Ethereum — the second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization — are for you. Other smaller cryptocurrencies are designed for this total privacy, though experts recommend avoiding these lesser known cryptos as an investment.
https://time.com/nextadvisor/investing/cryptocurrency/is-bitcoin-safe/?_amp_linker=1*1v1nsdc*id*WllrMnQ2bDlFUkNuTk5XWnZJTGh2aGMwVjlPaEViT0RUcTNYLXRZWTJvdzZmdHQ2VFQzV2t1UTljdXItLXNIMA..
Reports of cryptocurrency crimes have increased 312% per year on average since 2016, according to a report from Crypto Head, a cryptocurrency news outlet that used Federal Trade Commission data to analyze cryptocurrency crime trends in recent years. These crimes can include everything from hackers stealing investors’ coins to people falling for scams related to crypto investing.
Bitcoin has the most crime reports of any cryptocurrency, which makes sense since it’s also the oldest and most-widely held crypto. Beyond digital crimes, Bitcoin’s safety as an investment is often questioned thanks to the frequency and scale of its value fluctuations.
Despite an increase in fraud and theft, many experts tout the safety of Bitcoin investments — at least in terms of cybersecurity if not investment stability — thanks to secure blockchain technology. So, is investing in Bitcoin safe? Here’s what you need to know about Bitcoin’s safety as an asset and keeping your cryptocurrency secure if you invest.
What to Consider Before Buying Bitcoin
First things first: The money you put into Bitcoin is not safe from value fluctuations.
Bitcoin is a volatile investment. If you’re looking for a “safe” investment with guaranteed returns, then don’t invest in Bitcoin — or any cryptocurrencies for that matter. Just over the past few months, the price of one Bitcoin has fluctuated between $30,000 and $60,000. Bitcoin isn’t the only volatile cryptocurrency, and other, smaller coins may be even riskier.
“Understand that these are very volatile investments, so if big fluctuations cause you to lose sleep, this isn’t the space for you,” says Dan Herron, a CFP with Elemental Wealth Advisors in San Luis Obispo, California.
Experts recommend keeping any cryptocurrency investments to less than 5% of your portfolio for exactly that reason — and to make sure you’ve got a solid conventional retirement investment plan in the first place. It’s also recommended you have an emergency fund and pay down any high-interest debts before you put any money into Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.
(Read More: Here’s How Much of Your Investing Portfolio Should Be in Crypto, According to 5 Experts)
What Are the Risks Associated With Bitcoin?
The biggest security concern for many people when it comes to Bitcoin investing — like any other digital activity — is the risk of hacking and fraud. Cryptocurrency crimes are on the rise, according to data from the Federal Trade Commission, and resulted in a median loss of $1,900 per report between October 2020 and March 2021.
Often, reported crypto crimes involve scammers requesting payment in cryptocurrency, or sending unsolicited offers to help you make money or increase your holdings, according to the FTC. “One sure sign of a scam is anyone who says you have to pay by cryptocurrency,” the agency says. You should also avoid any unsolicited offers related to crypto; do your own research and buy your coins yourself using a reputable crypto exchange.
Other types of scams to look out for
Initial coin offerings (ICOs) for fake cryptocurrencies
When a cryptocurrency is offered to investors before it’s launched to the market, it’s called an ICO (similar to a new stock’s IPO). But sometimes these new coin offerings can be fabricated, leading investors to put their money in a cryptocurrency that doesn’t actually exist.
Always research any cryptocurrency before you invest. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Read the project’s white paper and check out the founders as part of your research. For most investors — and especially beginners — it’s smart to stick to established, popular coins like Bitcoin.
Crypto pump and dump schemes
A small group of investors may pump a lot of money into a specific crypto, falsely inflating the price while convincing private investors to also invest. Then the original investors sell their shares for a profit before the price falls again. This type of scheme exists for more traditional investments, too.
Again, if an investment seems too good to be true, it probably is. Watch out for coins that have risen a lot in value without any clear reason why, the Crypto Head report recommends. This may be a sign of a pump and dump scheme.
How to Keep Your Bitcoin Safe
Hackers can gain access to individuals’ crypto wallets or breach entire cryptocurrency exchanges to steal their holdings. That’s why it’s essential to store your crypto in a safe place, and practice good digital security habits.
Cryptocurrency exchanges and third parties offer storage for your coins through hot wallets, which are secure, but still online (and therefore still susceptible to hacking). Crypto held on an exchange or in a wallet is not FDIC-insured like money in the bank. Make sure you trade and hold your crypto on a platform that offers robust security measures — including keeping a significant amount of holdings in its own cold storage and two-factor authentication for users. Some exchanges may even have private insurance policies in case of theft or hacking.
For the best protection against online fraud, many experts recommend cold storage through an offline device not connected to the internet, similar to a USB drive. But even cold storage comes with risks, like the possibility of losing access to your investment completely if you forget your password.
Bitcoin Security vs. Privacy
While you can take measures to secure your crypto holdings from hacking and theft, Bitcoin may not be any more effective at keeping your personal information private than any other traditional investment.
“Security and privacy are two separate topics,” says Kiana Danial, author of “Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies” and the personality behind @Investdiva on Instagram.
While trades you make in Bitcoin may be harder to trace than credit card purchases or direct bank withdrawals, Bitcoin transactions are not private. Bitcoin trades are tied to a hash code — a string of letters and numbers — that are unique to you, says Ollie Leech, learn editor at CoinDesk, a leading cryptocurrency news outlet.
“You’re really not anonymous, more like pseudonymous,” says Galen Moore, director of data and indexes at CoinDesk. While your activity isn’t directly tied to personal details like your social security number, the blockchain is public and there are ways that people can identify you.
But even though Bitcoin transactions aren’t private, that doesn’t mean every user can see exactly how much everyone else has bought or sold.
“In order to download the Bitcoin blockchain you would need massive, massive, computing capacity, like a supercomputer,” says Danial. “The day-to-day average Joe can’t go in and see what transactions are happening in the Bitcoin blockchain.”
If you want total privacy when you transact, then neither Bitcoin nor Ethereum — the second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization — are for you. Other smaller cryptocurrencies are designed for this total privacy, though experts recommend avoiding these lesser known cryptos as an investment.
https://time.com/nextadvisor/investing/cryptocurrency/is-bitcoin-safe/?_amp_linker=1*1v1nsdc*id*WllrMnQ2bDlFUkNuTk5XWnZJTGh2aGMwVjlPaEViT0RUcTNYLXRZWTJvdzZmdHQ2VFQzV2t1UTljdXItLXNIMA..
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