🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 88 (from laksa103)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa088.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/03/24/beware-the-ai-crypto-scam-heres-how-to-invest-safe/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/03/24/beware-the-ai-crypto-scam-heres-how-to-invest-safe/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/2026\/03\/24\/beware-the-ai-crypto-scam-heres-how-to-invest-safe\/","crawl_time":1775987600,"first_indexed_time":1774341583,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,fool!www,\/investing\/2026\/03\/24\/beware-the-ai-crypto-scam-heres-how-to-invest-safe\/ s443","src_root_hash":"16263700115757751488","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Beware the AI Crypto Scam: Here's How to Invest Safely in the Age of AI | The Motley Fool","meta_descriptions":["Crypto investment scams involving hot new AI projects are proliferating, so investors need to be vigilant."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"According to\nthe latest research from The Motley Fool\n, crypto scams are now at an all-time high. Through the first three quarters of 2025, there were more than 100,000 crypto investment scams targeting unsuspecting investors. Total losses are now measured in the billions, with the average person losing $10,000 in these crypto investment ripoffs.\nAs might be imagined, artificial intelligence (\nAI\n) has only intensified the number and sophistication of these swindles. In search of outsize payouts and huge gains, investors are far too willing to fork over their hard-earned cryptocurrency, hand over their\nencryption keys\n, or open their\nblockchain wallets\nto hackers.\nAs the buzz over AI grows, so will the number of potential ways to lose your money in a crypto racket. But there are plenty of steps that investors can take to protect themselves.\nThe AI crypto scam du jour\nThe latest buzz involves OpenClaw, which has become the viral AI sensation of 2026. It has been called \"the next ChatGPT\" by no less than\nNvidia\nChief Executive Officer\nJensen Huang\n, who is now advising every company to adopt an OpenClaw strategy.\nImage source: Getty Images.\nSo it's perhaps no surprise that crypto investment scams involving OpenClaw have proliferated, all of them trading on the buzz and speculation around\nAI agents\nand the future promise of artificial intelligence. The latest one involves OpenClaw developers, who were told to hook up their crypto wallets to the OpenClaw website in exchange for free CLAW tokens.\nYou can guess what happened next. The OpenClaw website turned out to be a fake, and there were no CLAW tokens. As soon as the crypto wallets were added, they were quickly drained.\nAnd that's hardly the only case of scammers trading on OpenClaw's name recognition to trick investors. They spoofed the social media accounts of Peter Steinberger, the founder of OpenClaw, in order to request money from investors. And they also launched a fraudulent token, CLAWD, that turned out to be nothing more than a\nclassic pump-and-dump scheme\n. In a matter of days, the valuation of CLAWD fell from $16 million to near zero, wiping out investors.\nTips for investors\nSo what -- if anything -- can be done to avoid becoming unsuspecting victims in the next crypto investment con job?\nFor one, investors can exercise a bit of common sense. As The Motley Fool warned in its research report, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Expecting to make a big payday from an AI crypto token for doing almost nothing certainly fits into that category.\nSecond, investors should be wary of any investment that requires payment in cryptocurrency. Once you send crypto to someone's blockchain wallet address, it's gone forever. Tracking down that money is difficult at best, and recovering it is almost impossible.\nThird, investors need to be aware of the increasing sophistication of social engineering schemes using AI. In one high-profile case in 2024, AI-generated deepfake videos of top company executives managed to persuade unsuspecting employees to wire $25 million to overseas bank accounts.\nUsing AI, it's possible to make just about any payment request look legitimate, perhaps even coming from someone you know or recognize. It's no wonder, then, that scammers have chosen social media as the primary way to contact potential victims. More than a third (38%) of crypto investment scams now originate on social media.\nIs there a safe way to invest in AI crypto?\nUnfortunately, as The Motley Fool points out in its breakdown of crypto investment scams, crooks are constantly modifying their tactics. And that includes the embrace of AI -- both as a potential investment hook and as a powerful tool to lure in investors (such as by using AI-generated deepfakes).\nThis is not to say, however, that you shouldn't try to get in early on fast-moving AI crypto investment opportunities. However, if you are hearing about an AI crypto token for the first time via social media, you might want to think twice. And if you are being pressured to send cryptocurrency to an unknown account as soon as possible, you probably should hear alarm bells.\nAs for me, I'm sticking to AI cryptos available to buy and trade on established cryptocurrency exchanges such as\nCoinbase Global\n(\nCOIN\n0.72%\n)\n. This gives me confidence that some initial vetting has already been done.\nAlso, I'm focusing on AI cryptos with a minimum market cap of $500 million. That's about the market cap of\nArtificial Superintelligence Alliance\n(\nFET\n0.43%\n)\n, which ranks among the top 100 cryptocurrencies in the world. Anything smaller, and it might just be a pump-and-dump coin heading to zero.","attrs_markdown":"[Accessibility Menu](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/2026\/03\/24\/beware-the-ai-crypto-scam-heres-how-to-invest-safe\/)\n\nSearch for a company\n\n[Accessibility](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/2026\/03\/24\/beware-the-ai-crypto-scam-heres-how-to-invest-safe\/)\n\nLog In\n\n[Help](https:\/\/support.fool.com\/)\n\n[![The Motley Fool](https:\/\/g.foolcdn.com\/misc-assets\/logo-tmf-primary-1-magenta-purple-reversed.svg?_w=320)![The Motley Fool](https:\/\/g.foolcdn.com\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Fmisc-assets%2Ftmf_holdingco_logo_stacked_magenta_royalpurple_rev.png&w=96&op=resize)](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/)\n\n- Our Services\n  [All Services](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/)[Stock Advisor](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/stock-advisor\/)[Epic](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/epic\/)[Epic Plus](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/epic-plus\/)[Fool 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+\\$1.36](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/nasdaq\/meta\/)\n\n[MSFT \\$370.87-0.6% -\\$2.20](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/nasdaq\/msft\/)\n\n[NVDA \\$188.63+2.6% +\\$4.72](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/nasdaq\/nvda\/)\n\n[TSLA \\$348.95+1.0% +\\$3.33](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/nasdaq\/tsla\/)\n\n[Most Active Stocks](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/markets\/most-active-stocks\/)[Daily Stock Gainers](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/markets\/top-stock-gainers\/)[Daily Stock Losers](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/markets\/top-stock-losers\/)\n\n[Most Active Stocks](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/markets\/most-active-stocks\/)[Daily Stock Gainers](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/markets\/top-stock-gainers\/)[Daily Stock Losers](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/markets\/top-stock-losers\/)\n\nFree Article[Explore Premium Services](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/)\n\n# Beware the AI Crypto Scam: Here's How to Invest Safely in the Age of AI\nCrypto investment scams involving hot new AI projects are proliferating, so investors need to be vigilant.\n\nBy [Dominic Basulto](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/author\/20546\/) – Mar 24, 2026 at 4:00AM EST\n\n[Follow us](https:\/\/profile.google.com\/cp\/CgkvbS8wNTc4bWs)\n\nShare\n\nSummarize with AI\n\n## Key Points\n- New research from The Motley Fool details the growing problem of crypto investment scams.\n- The latest dubious crypto investments feature hot new AI projects such as OpenClaw.\n- Investors should especially be aware of crypto investment offers that start on social media, or ask to send cryptocurrency to unknown accounts.\n\nAccording to [the latest research from The Motley Fool](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/research\/crypto-investment-scams\/), crypto scams are now at an all-time high. Through the first three quarters of 2025, there were more than 100,000 crypto investment scams targeting unsuspecting investors. Total losses are now measured in the billions, with the average person losing \\$10,000 in these crypto investment ripoffs.\n\nAs might be imagined, artificial intelligence ([AI](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/stock-market\/market-sectors\/information-technology\/ai-stocks\/)) has only intensified the number and sophistication of these swindles. In search of outsize payouts and huge gains, investors are far too willing to fork over their hard-earned cryptocurrency, hand over their [encryption keys](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/terms\/p\/private-key\/), or open their [blockchain wallets](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/terms\/b\/blockchain-wallet\/) to hackers.\n\nAs the buzz over AI grows, so will the number of potential ways to lose your money in a crypto racket. But there are plenty of steps that investors can take to protect themselves.\n\n## The AI crypto scam du jour\nThe latest buzz involves OpenClaw, which has become the viral AI sensation of 2026. It has been called \"the next ChatGPT\" by no less than **Nvidia** Chief Executive Officer [Jensen Huang](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/how-to-invest\/famous-investors\/jensen-huang\/), who is now advising every company to adopt an OpenClaw strategy.\n\n![A robotic hand touches block letters that spell AI.](https:\/\/g.foolcdn.com\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Feditorial%2Fimages%2F861922%2Fai-hand.jpg&w=3840&op=resize)\n\nImage source: Getty Images.\n\nSo it's perhaps no surprise that crypto investment scams involving OpenClaw have proliferated, all of them trading on the buzz and speculation around [AI agents](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/terms\/a\/agentic-ai\/) and the future promise of artificial intelligence. The latest one involves OpenClaw developers, who were told to hook up their crypto wallets to the OpenClaw website in exchange for free CLAW tokens.\n\nYou can guess what happened next. The OpenClaw website turned out to be a fake, and there were no CLAW tokens. As soon as the crypto wallets were added, they were quickly drained.\n\nAnd that's hardly the only case of scammers trading on OpenClaw's name recognition to trick investors. They spoofed the social media accounts of Peter Steinberger, the founder of OpenClaw, in order to request money from investors. And they also launched a fraudulent token, CLAWD, that turned out to be nothing more than a [classic pump-and-dump scheme](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/stock-market\/market-sectors\/financials\/cryptocurrency-stocks\/how-to-spot-crypto-scam\/). In a matter of days, the valuation of CLAWD fell from \\$16 million to near zero, wiping out investors.\n\n## Tips for investors\nSo what -- if anything -- can be done to avoid becoming unsuspecting victims in the next crypto investment con job?\n\nFor one, investors can exercise a bit of common sense. As The Motley Fool warned in its research report, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Expecting to make a big payday from an AI crypto token for doing almost nothing certainly fits into that category.\n\nSecond, investors should be wary of any investment that requires payment in cryptocurrency. Once you send crypto to someone's blockchain wallet address, it's gone forever. Tracking down that money is difficult at best, and recovering it is almost impossible.\n\nThird, investors need to be aware of the increasing sophistication of social engineering schemes using AI. In one high-profile case in 2024, AI-generated deepfake videos of top company executives managed to persuade unsuspecting employees to wire \\$25 million to overseas bank accounts.\n\nUsing AI, it's possible to make just about any payment request look legitimate, perhaps even coming from someone you know or recognize. It's no wonder, then, that scammers have chosen social media as the primary way to contact potential victims. More than a third (38%) of crypto investment scams now originate on social media.\n\n## Is there a safe way to invest in AI crypto?\nUnfortunately, as The Motley Fool points out in its breakdown of crypto investment scams, crooks are constantly modifying their tactics. And that includes the embrace of AI -- both as a potential investment hook and as a powerful tool to lure in investors (such as by using AI-generated deepfakes).\n\nThis is not to say, however, that you shouldn't try to get in early on fast-moving AI crypto investment opportunities. However, if you are hearing about an AI crypto token for the first time via social media, you might want to think twice. And if you are being pressured to send cryptocurrency to an unknown account as soon as possible, you probably should hear alarm bells.\n\nAs for me, I'm sticking to AI cryptos available to buy and trade on established cryptocurrency exchanges such as **Coinbase Global** ([COIN](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/nasdaq\/coin\/) 0\\.72%). This gives me confidence that some initial vetting has already been done.\n\nAlso, I'm focusing on AI cryptos with a minimum market cap of \\$500 million. That's about the market cap of **Artificial Superintelligence Alliance** ([FET](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/crypto\/fet\/) 0\\.43%), which ranks among the top 100 cryptocurrencies in the world. Anything smaller, and it might just be a pump-and-dump coin heading to zero.\n\n## Read Next\nApr 12, 2026\n\n•By [Alex Carchidi](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/author\/20287\/)\n\n[How Much of Your Portfolio Should Be in Cryptocurrency?](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/2026\/04\/12\/how-much-of-your-portfolio-should-be-in-cryptocurr\/)\n\nApr 11, 2026\n\n•By [Dominic Basulto](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/author\/20546\/)\n\n[Where Will XRP Be in 5 Years?](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/2026\/04\/11\/where-will-xrp-be-in-5-years\/)\n\nApr 11, 2026\n\n•By [Emma Newbery](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/author\/20301\/)\n\n[3 Cryptocurrencies That AI Assistants Keep Recommending](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/2026\/04\/11\/3-cryptocurrencies-that-ai-assistants-keep-recomme\/)\n\nApr 11, 2026\n\n•By [Emma Newbery](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/author\/20301\/)\n\n[2 Ways to Invest in the Soaring Tokenization Market](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/2026\/04\/11\/2-ways-to-invest-in-the-soaring-tokenization-marke\/)\n\nApr 11, 2026\n\n•By [Dominic Basulto](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/author\/20546\/)\n\n[Should You Be Investing in Bitcoin... or a Basket of Diversified Cryptocurrencies?](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/2026\/04\/11\/should-you-invest-in-bitcoin-or-a-crypto-basket\/)\n\nApr 11, 2026\n\n•By [Anders Bylund](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/author\/1484\/)\n\n[Forget Bitcoin ETFs; This Is How Crypto Is Really Going Mainstream](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/2026\/04\/11\/this-is-how-crypto-is-going-mainstream\/)\n\n### About the Author\n![Dominic Basulto](https:\/\/g.foolcdn.com\/avatar\/257890182\/large.ashx?_w=3840)\n\nDominic Basulto is a contributing Motley Fool crypto analyst covering cryptocurrencies, digital assets, and crypto-related companies. Prior to The Motley Fool, Dominic was a technology and innovation journalist at The Washington Post and Fortune. He holds a bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University and an MBA in finance from Yale School of Management.\n\n[TMFCryptoDom](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/author\/20546\/)\n\n[@dominicbasulto](https:\/\/x.com\/dominicbasulto)\n\n*[Dominic Basulto](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/author\/20546\/) has positions in Fetch. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Fetch and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Coinbase Global. The Motley Fool has a [disclosure policy](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/legal\/fool-disclosure-policy\/).*\n\n### Stocks Mentioned\n[FE Fetch CRYPTO: FET\\$0.24 (-0.43%)-\\$0.00](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/crypto\/fet\/)\n\n[NV Nvidia NASDAQ: NVDA\\$188.63 (+2.57%)+\\$4.72](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/nasdaq\/nvda\/)\n\n[CO Coinbase Global NASDAQ: COIN\\$167.80 (-0.72%)-\\$1.22](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/nasdaq\/coin\/)\n\n\\*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.\n\n## Premium Investing Services\nInvest better with The Motley Fool. 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All rights reserved.\n\nMarket data powered by [Xignite](https:\/\/xignite.com\/) and [Polygon.io](https:\/\/polygon.io\/).\n\nAbout The Motley Fool\n\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/about\/)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/careers.fool.com\/)\n- [Research](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/research\/)\n- [Newsroom](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/contact\/newsroom\/)\n- [Contact](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/legal\/contact-us\/)\n- [Advertise](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#ccada8a5a2bdb9a5bea5a9bf8caaa3a3a0e2afa3a1)\n\nOur Services\n\n- [All Services](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/)\n- [Stock Advisor](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/stock-advisor\/)\n- [Epic](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/epic\/)\n- [Epic Plus](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/epic-plus\/)\n- [Fool Portfolios](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/fool-portfolios\/)\n- [Fool One](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/services\/one\/)\n- [Motley Fool Money](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/money\/)\n\nAround the Globe\n\n- [Fool UK](https:\/\/www.fool.co.uk\/)\n- [Fool Australia](https:\/\/www.fool.com.au\/)\n- [Fool Canada](https:\/\/www.fool.ca\/)\n\nFree Tools\n\n- [CAPS Stock Ratings](https:\/\/caps.fool.com\/)\n- [Discussion Boards](https:\/\/discussion.fool.com\/)\n- [Calculators](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/calculators\/index\/)\n- [Financial Dictionary](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/terms\/)\n\nAffiliates & Friends\n\n- [Motley Fool Asset Management](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/affiliates\/mfam\/)\n- [Motley Fool Wealth Management](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/affiliates\/mfwm\/)\n- [Motley Fool Ventures](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/affiliates\/ventures\/)\n- [Fool Community Foundation](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/affiliates\/foundation\/)\n- [Become an Affiliate Partner](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/affiliates\/)\n\n- [Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/legal\/terms-and-conditions\/fool-rules\/ \"Terms of Use\")\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/legal\/privacy-statement\/ \"Privacy Policy\")\n- [Disclosure Policy](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/legal\/fool-disclosure-policy\/ \"Disclosure Policy\")\n- [Accessibility Policy](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/legal\/accessibility-policy\/ \"Accessibility Policy\")\n- [Copyright, Trademark and Patent Information](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/legal\/stuff-we-own\/ \"Copyright, Trademark and Patent Information\")\n- [Terms and Conditions](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/legal\/terms-and-conditions\/ \"Terms and Conditions\")\n- [Do Not Sell My Personal Information](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/data-protection\/ccpa-update\/ \"Do Not Sell My Personal Information\")","attrs_readable_markdown":"According to [the latest research from The Motley Fool](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/research\/crypto-investment-scams\/), crypto scams are now at an all-time high. Through the first three quarters of 2025, there were more than 100,000 crypto investment scams targeting unsuspecting investors. Total losses are now measured in the billions, with the average person losing \\$10,000 in these crypto investment ripoffs.\n\nAs might be imagined, artificial intelligence ([AI](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/stock-market\/market-sectors\/information-technology\/ai-stocks\/)) has only intensified the number and sophistication of these swindles. In search of outsize payouts and huge gains, investors are far too willing to fork over their hard-earned cryptocurrency, hand over their [encryption keys](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/terms\/p\/private-key\/), or open their [blockchain wallets](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/terms\/b\/blockchain-wallet\/) to hackers.\n\nAs the buzz over AI grows, so will the number of potential ways to lose your money in a crypto racket. But there are plenty of steps that investors can take to protect themselves.\n\n## The AI crypto scam du jour\nThe latest buzz involves OpenClaw, which has become the viral AI sensation of 2026. It has been called \"the next ChatGPT\" by no less than **Nvidia** Chief Executive Officer [Jensen Huang](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/how-to-invest\/famous-investors\/jensen-huang\/), who is now advising every company to adopt an OpenClaw strategy.\n\n![A robotic hand touches block letters that spell AI.](https:\/\/g.foolcdn.com\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Feditorial%2Fimages%2F861922%2Fai-hand.jpg&w=3840&op=resize)\n\nImage source: Getty Images.\n\nSo it's perhaps no surprise that crypto investment scams involving OpenClaw have proliferated, all of them trading on the buzz and speculation around [AI agents](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/terms\/a\/agentic-ai\/) and the future promise of artificial intelligence. The latest one involves OpenClaw developers, who were told to hook up their crypto wallets to the OpenClaw website in exchange for free CLAW tokens.\n\nYou can guess what happened next. The OpenClaw website turned out to be a fake, and there were no CLAW tokens. As soon as the crypto wallets were added, they were quickly drained.\n\nAnd that's hardly the only case of scammers trading on OpenClaw's name recognition to trick investors. They spoofed the social media accounts of Peter Steinberger, the founder of OpenClaw, in order to request money from investors. And they also launched a fraudulent token, CLAWD, that turned out to be nothing more than a [classic pump-and-dump scheme](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/stock-market\/market-sectors\/financials\/cryptocurrency-stocks\/how-to-spot-crypto-scam\/). In a matter of days, the valuation of CLAWD fell from \\$16 million to near zero, wiping out investors.\n\n## Tips for investors\nSo what -- if anything -- can be done to avoid becoming unsuspecting victims in the next crypto investment con job?\n\nFor one, investors can exercise a bit of common sense. As The Motley Fool warned in its research report, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Expecting to make a big payday from an AI crypto token for doing almost nothing certainly fits into that category.\n\nSecond, investors should be wary of any investment that requires payment in cryptocurrency. Once you send crypto to someone's blockchain wallet address, it's gone forever. Tracking down that money is difficult at best, and recovering it is almost impossible.\n\nThird, investors need to be aware of the increasing sophistication of social engineering schemes using AI. In one high-profile case in 2024, AI-generated deepfake videos of top company executives managed to persuade unsuspecting employees to wire \\$25 million to overseas bank accounts.\n\nUsing AI, it's possible to make just about any payment request look legitimate, perhaps even coming from someone you know or recognize. It's no wonder, then, that scammers have chosen social media as the primary way to contact potential victims. More than a third (38%) of crypto investment scams now originate on social media.\n\n## Is there a safe way to invest in AI crypto?\nUnfortunately, as The Motley Fool points out in its breakdown of crypto investment scams, crooks are constantly modifying their tactics. And that includes the embrace of AI -- both as a potential investment hook and as a powerful tool to lure in investors (such as by using AI-generated deepfakes).\n\nThis is not to say, however, that you shouldn't try to get in early on fast-moving AI crypto investment opportunities. However, if you are hearing about an AI crypto token for the first time via social media, you might want to think twice. And if you are being pressured to send cryptocurrency to an unknown account as soon as possible, you probably should hear alarm bells.\n\nAs for me, I'm sticking to AI cryptos available to buy and trade on established cryptocurrency exchanges such as **Coinbase Global** ([COIN](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/nasdaq\/coin\/) 0\\.72%). This gives me confidence that some initial vetting has already been done.\n\nAlso, I'm focusing on AI cryptos with a minimum market cap of \\$500 million. That's about the market cap of **Artificial Superintelligence Alliance** ([FET](https:\/\/www.fool.com\/quote\/crypto\/fet\/) 0\\.43%), which ranks among the top 100 cryptocurrencies in the world. Anything smaller, and it might just be a pump-and-dump coin heading to zero.","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/03/24/beware-the-ai-crypto-scam-heres-how-to-invest-safe/
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Boilerpipe Text	According to the latest research from The Motley Fool , crypto scams are now at an all-time high. Through the first three quarters of 2025, there were more than 100,000 crypto investment scams targeting unsuspecting investors. Total losses are now measured in the billions, with the average person losing $10,000 in these crypto investment ripoffs. As might be imagined, artificial intelligence ( AI ) has only intensified the number and sophistication of these swindles. In search of outsize payouts and huge gains, investors are far too willing to fork over their hard-earned cryptocurrency, hand over their encryption keys , or open their blockchain wallets to hackers. As the buzz over AI grows, so will the number of potential ways to lose your money in a crypto racket. But there are plenty of steps that investors can take to protect themselves. The AI crypto scam du jour The latest buzz involves OpenClaw, which has become the viral AI sensation of 2026. It has been called "the next ChatGPT" by no less than Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang , who is now advising every company to adopt an OpenClaw strategy. Image source: Getty Images. So it's perhaps no surprise that crypto investment scams involving OpenClaw have proliferated, all of them trading on the buzz and speculation around AI agents and the future promise of artificial intelligence. The latest one involves OpenClaw developers, who were told to hook up their crypto wallets to the OpenClaw website in exchange for free CLAW tokens. You can guess what happened next. The OpenClaw website turned out to be a fake, and there were no CLAW tokens. As soon as the crypto wallets were added, they were quickly drained. And that's hardly the only case of scammers trading on OpenClaw's name recognition to trick investors. They spoofed the social media accounts of Peter Steinberger, the founder of OpenClaw, in order to request money from investors. And they also launched a fraudulent token, CLAWD, that turned out to be nothing more than a classic pump-and-dump scheme . In a matter of days, the valuation of CLAWD fell from $16 million to near zero, wiping out investors. Tips for investors So what -- if anything -- can be done to avoid becoming unsuspecting victims in the next crypto investment con job? For one, investors can exercise a bit of common sense. As The Motley Fool warned in its research report, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Expecting to make a big payday from an AI crypto token for doing almost nothing certainly fits into that category. Second, investors should be wary of any investment that requires payment in cryptocurrency. Once you send crypto to someone's blockchain wallet address, it's gone forever. Tracking down that money is difficult at best, and recovering it is almost impossible. Third, investors need to be aware of the increasing sophistication of social engineering schemes using AI. In one high-profile case in 2024, AI-generated deepfake videos of top company executives managed to persuade unsuspecting employees to wire $25 million to overseas bank accounts. Using AI, it's possible to make just about any payment request look legitimate, perhaps even coming from someone you know or recognize. It's no wonder, then, that scammers have chosen social media as the primary way to contact potential victims. More than a third (38%) of crypto investment scams now originate on social media. Is there a safe way to invest in AI crypto? Unfortunately, as The Motley Fool points out in its breakdown of crypto investment scams, crooks are constantly modifying their tactics. And that includes the embrace of AI -- both as a potential investment hook and as a powerful tool to lure in investors (such as by using AI-generated deepfakes). This is not to say, however, that you shouldn't try to get in early on fast-moving AI crypto investment opportunities. However, if you are hearing about an AI crypto token for the first time via social media, you might want to think twice. And if you are being pressured to send cryptocurrency to an unknown account as soon as possible, you probably should hear alarm bells. As for me, I'm sticking to AI cryptos available to buy and trade on established cryptocurrency exchanges such as Coinbase Global ( COIN 0.72% ) . This gives me confidence that some initial vetting has already been done. Also, I'm focusing on AI cryptos with a minimum market cap of $500 million. That's about the market cap of Artificial Superintelligence Alliance ( FET 0.43% ) , which ranks among the top 100 cryptocurrencies in the world. Anything smaller, and it might just be a pump-and-dump coin heading to zero.
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By [Dominic Basulto](https://www.fool.com/author/20546/) – Mar 24, 2026 at 4:00AM EST [Follow us](https://profile.google.com/cp/CgkvbS8wNTc4bWs) Share Summarize with AI ## Key Points - New research from The Motley Fool details the growing problem of crypto investment scams. - The latest dubious crypto investments feature hot new AI projects such as OpenClaw. - Investors should especially be aware of crypto investment offers that start on social media, or ask to send cryptocurrency to unknown accounts. According to [the latest research from The Motley Fool](https://www.fool.com/research/crypto-investment-scams/), crypto scams are now at an all-time high. Through the first three quarters of 2025, there were more than 100,000 crypto investment scams targeting unsuspecting investors. Total losses are now measured in the billions, with the average person losing \$10,000 in these crypto investment ripoffs. As might be imagined, artificial intelligence ([AI](https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/information-technology/ai-stocks/)) has only intensified the number and sophistication of these swindles. In search of outsize payouts and huge gains, investors are far too willing to fork over their hard-earned cryptocurrency, hand over their [encryption keys](https://www.fool.com/terms/p/private-key/), or open their [blockchain wallets](https://www.fool.com/terms/b/blockchain-wallet/) to hackers. As the buzz over AI grows, so will the number of potential ways to lose your money in a crypto racket. But there are plenty of steps that investors can take to protect themselves. ## The AI crypto scam du jour The latest buzz involves OpenClaw, which has become the viral AI sensation of 2026. It has been called "the next ChatGPT" by no less than Nvidia Chief Executive Officer [Jensen Huang](https://www.fool.com/investing/how-to-invest/famous-investors/jensen-huang/), who is now advising every company to adopt an OpenClaw strategy. ![A robotic hand touches block letters that spell AI.](https://g.foolcdn.com/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Feditorial%2Fimages%2F861922%2Fai-hand.jpg&w=3840&op=resize) Image source: Getty Images. So it's perhaps no surprise that crypto investment scams involving OpenClaw have proliferated, all of them trading on the buzz and speculation around [AI agents](https://www.fool.com/terms/a/agentic-ai/) and the future promise of artificial intelligence. The latest one involves OpenClaw developers, who were told to hook up their crypto wallets to the OpenClaw website in exchange for free CLAW tokens. You can guess what happened next. The OpenClaw website turned out to be a fake, and there were no CLAW tokens. As soon as the crypto wallets were added, they were quickly drained. And that's hardly the only case of scammers trading on OpenClaw's name recognition to trick investors. They spoofed the social media accounts of Peter Steinberger, the founder of OpenClaw, in order to request money from investors. And they also launched a fraudulent token, CLAWD, that turned out to be nothing more than a [classic pump-and-dump scheme](https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/financials/cryptocurrency-stocks/how-to-spot-crypto-scam/). In a matter of days, the valuation of CLAWD fell from \$16 million to near zero, wiping out investors. ## Tips for investors So what -- if anything -- can be done to avoid becoming unsuspecting victims in the next crypto investment con job? For one, investors can exercise a bit of common sense. As The Motley Fool warned in its research report, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Expecting to make a big payday from an AI crypto token for doing almost nothing certainly fits into that category. Second, investors should be wary of any investment that requires payment in cryptocurrency. Once you send crypto to someone's blockchain wallet address, it's gone forever. Tracking down that money is difficult at best, and recovering it is almost impossible. Third, investors need to be aware of the increasing sophistication of social engineering schemes using AI. In one high-profile case in 2024, AI-generated deepfake videos of top company executives managed to persuade unsuspecting employees to wire \$25 million to overseas bank accounts. Using AI, it's possible to make just about any payment request look legitimate, perhaps even coming from someone you know or recognize. It's no wonder, then, that scammers have chosen social media as the primary way to contact potential victims. More than a third (38%) of crypto investment scams now originate on social media. ## Is there a safe way to invest in AI crypto? Unfortunately, as The Motley Fool points out in its breakdown of crypto investment scams, crooks are constantly modifying their tactics. And that includes the embrace of AI -- both as a potential investment hook and as a powerful tool to lure in investors (such as by using AI-generated deepfakes). This is not to say, however, that you shouldn't try to get in early on fast-moving AI crypto investment opportunities. However, if you are hearing about an AI crypto token for the first time via social media, you might want to think twice. And if you are being pressured to send cryptocurrency to an unknown account as soon as possible, you probably should hear alarm bells. As for me, I'm sticking to AI cryptos available to buy and trade on established cryptocurrency exchanges such as Coinbase Global ([COIN](https://www.fool.com/quote/nasdaq/coin/) 0\.72%). This gives me confidence that some initial vetting has already been done. Also, I'm focusing on AI cryptos with a minimum market cap of \$500 million. That's about the market cap of Artificial Superintelligence Alliance ([FET](https://www.fool.com/quote/crypto/fet/) 0\.43%), which ranks among the top 100 cryptocurrencies in the world. Anything smaller, and it might just be a pump-and-dump coin heading to zero. ## Read Next Apr 12, 2026 •By [Alex Carchidi](https://www.fool.com/author/20287/) [How Much of Your Portfolio Should Be in Cryptocurrency?](https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/04/12/how-much-of-your-portfolio-should-be-in-cryptocurr/) Apr 11, 2026 •By [Dominic Basulto](https://www.fool.com/author/20546/) [Where Will XRP Be in 5 Years?](https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/04/11/where-will-xrp-be-in-5-years/) Apr 11, 2026 •By [Emma Newbery](https://www.fool.com/author/20301/) [3 Cryptocurrencies That AI Assistants Keep Recommending](https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/04/11/3-cryptocurrencies-that-ai-assistants-keep-recomme/) Apr 11, 2026 •By [Emma Newbery](https://www.fool.com/author/20301/) [2 Ways to Invest in the Soaring Tokenization Market](https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/04/11/2-ways-to-invest-in-the-soaring-tokenization-marke/) Apr 11, 2026 •By [Dominic Basulto](https://www.fool.com/author/20546/) [Should You Be Investing in Bitcoin... or a Basket of Diversified Cryptocurrencies?](https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/04/11/should-you-invest-in-bitcoin-or-a-crypto-basket/) Apr 11, 2026 •By [Anders Bylund](https://www.fool.com/author/1484/) [Forget Bitcoin ETFs; This Is How Crypto Is Really Going Mainstream](https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/04/11/this-is-how-crypto-is-going-mainstream/) ### About the Author ![Dominic Basulto](https://g.foolcdn.com/avatar/257890182/large.ashx?_w=3840) Dominic Basulto is a contributing Motley Fool crypto analyst covering cryptocurrencies, digital assets, and crypto-related companies. Prior to The Motley Fool, Dominic was a technology and innovation journalist at The Washington Post and Fortune. He holds a bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University and an MBA in finance from Yale School of Management. [TMFCryptoDom](https://www.fool.com/author/20546/) [@dominicbasulto](https://x.com/dominicbasulto) [Dominic Basulto](https://www.fool.com/author/20546/) has positions in Fetch. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Fetch and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Coinbase Global. The Motley Fool has a [disclosure policy](https://www.fool.com/legal/fool-disclosure-policy/). ### Stocks Mentioned [FE Fetch CRYPTO: FET\$0.24 (-0.43%)-\$0.00](https://www.fool.com/quote/crypto/fet/) [NV Nvidia NASDAQ: NVDA\$188.63 (+2.57%)+\$4.72](https://www.fool.com/quote/nasdaq/nvda/) [CO Coinbase Global NASDAQ: COIN\$167.80 (-0.72%)-\$1.22](https://www.fool.com/quote/nasdaq/coin/) \*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. 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Readable Markdown	According to [the latest research from The Motley Fool](https://www.fool.com/research/crypto-investment-scams/), crypto scams are now at an all-time high. Through the first three quarters of 2025, there were more than 100,000 crypto investment scams targeting unsuspecting investors. Total losses are now measured in the billions, with the average person losing \$10,000 in these crypto investment ripoffs. As might be imagined, artificial intelligence ([AI](https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/information-technology/ai-stocks/)) has only intensified the number and sophistication of these swindles. In search of outsize payouts and huge gains, investors are far too willing to fork over their hard-earned cryptocurrency, hand over their [encryption keys](https://www.fool.com/terms/p/private-key/), or open their [blockchain wallets](https://www.fool.com/terms/b/blockchain-wallet/) to hackers. As the buzz over AI grows, so will the number of potential ways to lose your money in a crypto racket. But there are plenty of steps that investors can take to protect themselves. ## The AI crypto scam du jour The latest buzz involves OpenClaw, which has become the viral AI sensation of 2026. It has been called "the next ChatGPT" by no less than Nvidia Chief Executive Officer [Jensen Huang](https://www.fool.com/investing/how-to-invest/famous-investors/jensen-huang/), who is now advising every company to adopt an OpenClaw strategy. ![A robotic hand touches block letters that spell AI.](https://g.foolcdn.com/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Feditorial%2Fimages%2F861922%2Fai-hand.jpg&w=3840&op=resize) Image source: Getty Images. So it's perhaps no surprise that crypto investment scams involving OpenClaw have proliferated, all of them trading on the buzz and speculation around [AI agents](https://www.fool.com/terms/a/agentic-ai/) and the future promise of artificial intelligence. The latest one involves OpenClaw developers, who were told to hook up their crypto wallets to the OpenClaw website in exchange for free CLAW tokens. You can guess what happened next. The OpenClaw website turned out to be a fake, and there were no CLAW tokens. As soon as the crypto wallets were added, they were quickly drained. And that's hardly the only case of scammers trading on OpenClaw's name recognition to trick investors. They spoofed the social media accounts of Peter Steinberger, the founder of OpenClaw, in order to request money from investors. And they also launched a fraudulent token, CLAWD, that turned out to be nothing more than a [classic pump-and-dump scheme](https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/financials/cryptocurrency-stocks/how-to-spot-crypto-scam/). In a matter of days, the valuation of CLAWD fell from \$16 million to near zero, wiping out investors. ## Tips for investors So what -- if anything -- can be done to avoid becoming unsuspecting victims in the next crypto investment con job? For one, investors can exercise a bit of common sense. As The Motley Fool warned in its research report, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Expecting to make a big payday from an AI crypto token for doing almost nothing certainly fits into that category. Second, investors should be wary of any investment that requires payment in cryptocurrency. Once you send crypto to someone's blockchain wallet address, it's gone forever. Tracking down that money is difficult at best, and recovering it is almost impossible. Third, investors need to be aware of the increasing sophistication of social engineering schemes using AI. In one high-profile case in 2024, AI-generated deepfake videos of top company executives managed to persuade unsuspecting employees to wire \$25 million to overseas bank accounts. Using AI, it's possible to make just about any payment request look legitimate, perhaps even coming from someone you know or recognize. It's no wonder, then, that scammers have chosen social media as the primary way to contact potential victims. More than a third (38%) of crypto investment scams now originate on social media. ## Is there a safe way to invest in AI crypto? Unfortunately, as The Motley Fool points out in its breakdown of crypto investment scams, crooks are constantly modifying their tactics. And that includes the embrace of AI -- both as a potential investment hook and as a powerful tool to lure in investors (such as by using AI-generated deepfakes). This is not to say, however, that you shouldn't try to get in early on fast-moving AI crypto investment opportunities. However, if you are hearing about an AI crypto token for the first time via social media, you might want to think twice. And if you are being pressured to send cryptocurrency to an unknown account as soon as possible, you probably should hear alarm bells. As for me, I'm sticking to AI cryptos available to buy and trade on established cryptocurrency exchanges such as Coinbase Global ([COIN](https://www.fool.com/quote/nasdaq/coin/) 0\.72%). This gives me confidence that some initial vetting has already been done. Also, I'm focusing on AI cryptos with a minimum market cap of \$500 million. That's about the market cap of Artificial Superintelligence Alliance ([FET](https://www.fool.com/quote/crypto/fet/) 0\.43%), which ranks among the top 100 cryptocurrencies in the world. Anything smaller, and it might just be a pump-and-dump coin heading to zero.
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