Description

On May 8, 2025, I was contacted via WhatsApp by someone posing as a recruiter for a remote data-entry job with a website called EmpireOnline.cc. They claimed I could earn money by completing online tasks for a “movie data optimization” platform. I was introduced to a "trainer" who coached me through the process of registering on their platform and completing small tasks. I began to receive small earnings, which made the operation appear legitimate. Over the next 2½ weeks, they escalated demands to complete more expensive “packages” and required deposits in cryptocurrency (BTC and ETH) to unlock withdrawals. I used funds from Venmo, PayPal, CashApp, Ally Bank (via debit card and wire), and purchased crypto through Coinbase and MetaMask to send to the scammers’ wallet addresses. I estimate I lost around $11,400. When I asked to withdraw funds, they claimed I needed to pay an 18% tax fee on my supposed profits. I declined, and they stopped responding. I now recognize this as a sophisticated crypto scam. I have reported this scam to the FTC, FBI (IC3), CFTC, and Chainabuse, and have preserved all communication, including WhatsApp messages and the scam support chat.