Learning about common scams can help protect you and your funds from scammers. While keeping an eye out for scams, keep in mind that Strike employees will never:

• Ask for your account email, password, confirmation code, or PIN
• Request a payment from you
• Send you links within text messages
• Contact you outside official channels (Strike will only communicate via in-app messages or email from support@strike.me)
• Ask you to download 3rd party apps or other software on to your phone or computer

Below are some common scams and some tips on how to protect yourself against them:

Phishing scams

Phishing scams involve deceptive messages that appear to be from legitimate sources to try to trick you into giving up sensitive information. Scammers use emails, texts, websites, or social media messages that look like they’re from a trusted source, such as your bank or Strike, to try to collect information from you to gain access to your account and steal funds or engage in fraudulent activities.

How to protect yourself from phishing scams:

• Never share your passwords or confirmation codes with others
• Always verify email addresses or website URLs to make sure they are legitimate and don’t contain misspellings
• Avoid clicking on links in emails, texts, or social media messages from unknown sources
• Use unique email accounts for different services
• Avoid disclosing personal information publicly online
• Communicate with Strike via official channels, such as in-app customer support or by email at support@strike.me

Impersonation scams

Impersonation scams involve scammers pretending to be a trusted individual to try and trick you into sending them money. Scammers might impersonate friends, family members, celebrities, tax authorities, law enforcement agents, bank representatives, or Strike employees, and then might use a false sense of urgency to get you to pay them.

You should only communicate with Strike via official channels, such as in-app customer support or by email at support@strike.me. When you connect with Strike support, they will never ask you for your PIN, account email, or confirmation codes and will never ask for a payment from you.

How to protect yourself from impersonation scams:

• If you receive a phone call, verify the person’s identity through alternate means of communication
• Be skeptical of unsolicited phone calls or messages claiming urgent need of attention
• Double check usernames before making transactions in the Strike app
• Block unknown users in the Strike app who request money from you, and report them to support@strike.me

Investment or crypto scams

Investment or crypto scams involve scammers requesting money (especially bitcoin) with a promise that they’ll deliver some benefit, such as investment returns, interest on your bitcoin, or some crypto token or asset. Once they take payment, the scammers either disappear or the promised returns never manifest. It’s important to note that since bitcoin transactions are irreversible, Strike cannot recover or reimburse you after you authorize a transaction.

How to protect yourself from investment or crypto scams:

• Remember if it seems too good to be true, it probably is
• Be wary of promises or “guarantees” of investment returns
• Don’t invest in crypto assets where you don’t understand the risks
• Thoroughly research any wallet app or exchange service before creating an account and trading
• Only send your bitcoin to recipients that you know and trust

Prize or refund scams

Prize and refund scams involve scammers contacting you to falsely inform you that you’ve won a prize or are entitled to a special refund. To claim the non-existent money, the scammers instruct you to click a link, provide some personal information, or even send them a payment.

How to protect yourself from prize or refund scams:

• Assume anyone offering to give you free money or cryptocurrency is trying to scam you
• Don’t engage with messages offering free money or free crypto
• Be wary of any offers of a refund, and only engage with service providers by contacting them through official communication channels

Romance scams

Romance scams involve scammers creating fake online profiles to build emotional relationships with their victims before asking for money.

How to avoid romance scams:

• Be cautious with online relationships
• Avoid sending money to people who you have never met in real life
• Don’t give in to false claims of urgency, pressure, or threats