People searching “should I buy Ethereum?” usually want a price story. Forecast sites will happily supply one: four-digit targets for next December, bank research notes revised down after a drawdown, charts that look decisive until the next week. Those numbers are opinions. Crypto markets remain volatile; yesterday’s consensus is not a warranty.
The scam layer sits beside the forecast, not inside the whitepaper. Ads and Telegram channels hitch a ride on ETH interest with “free signals”, extreme leverage screenshots, and private managers who will “enter the trade with you”. Buying ETH on a major exchange you typed yourself is a different act from wiring money to a stranger’s wallet because a forecast said the coin would triple.
Before you buy: decide what you can afford to lose; use a venue you can verify; enable withdrawal whitelists and never share seed phrases. Treat any tipster who needs your deposit size in direct messages as hostile marketing. Price predictions do not replace custody hygiene.
If someone already moved you from “researching ETH” into a managed account or recovery chat, stop and use the help routes below rather than doubling down on the next signal.
If this pattern matches something you’ve been offered, start at Get help. If someone is already pitching “recovery”, read Fake recovery before you pay another fee.
This article is for general information only. It is not legal or financial advice. Details change. If you have lost money, contact your bank or card issuer and use the routes on the help pages.