How Americans Are Losing Their Life Savings To Crypto Fraud

“Pig butchering” scams got its name from the idea that scammers “fatten up” victims by building trust, and the strategy has amassed billions in stolen funds—particularly in the form of cryptocurrencies. Losses from investment scams soared 38% to a new record high in 2023, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report. Of the $4.57 billion in funds reported stolen, $3.96 billion involved fraudulent crypto investments. So, why are these scams so successful and what is law enforcement doing about it?

Blockchain Explained! How Does It Work? | Blum Academy

In this video, we provide a detailed overview of blockchain – a technology that is transforming our world not only in the realm of cryptocurrencies but also in various other fields. You will learn what blockchain is, how it works, and why it is so important. We discuss the history of blockchain, starting with the emergence of Bitcoin in 2009, and explore how technologies like smart contracts on Ethereum have revolutionized the blockchain ecosystem.

How Blockchain ACTUALLY Work | A Simple Explanation For Beginners

Blockchain is like a digital ledger that records transactions across many computers. It’s designed to be secure and transparent, preventing anyone from changing or deleting information once it’s added. This makes it useful for tracking things like cryptocurrency transactions, including Bitcoin, but it can also be used to record other valuable information.

RFK Jr.: Blockchain Is The Future

Do you really think President Trump and President Biden have the savvy to deal with emerging issues like blockchain and Artificial Intelligence? We need a president who is thinking about those things- one who works to mitigate risks posed by unregulated AI and who sees the value in blockchain companies–rather than forcing them to relocate overseas.

Blockchain Technology, What Is It? A Simply Explanation

Blockchain, in simple terms, is a digital ledger. Like a regular ledger, it contains a series of information. The uniqueness of the blockchain is that the information cannot be altered in any way and is shared among various users. It literally means a “chain of blocks,” but what is it exactly? This technology can be used to track transactions or smart contracts. In this video, we explain what it is in simple terms and how it works in practice, also telling you what it has to do with Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.

What Is Blockchain Technology: Blockchain Explained, Blockchain Wallet | Crypto for Beginners

What is Blockchain Technology? Let’s break down the concept of blockchain technology into simple terms:

Imagine you have a notebook where you write down all your transactions. Whenever you buy something or give something to someone, you write it down in this notebook. Now, instead of you being the only one who has this notebook, let’s say everyone in your neighborhood has a copy.

Now, whenever you make a transaction, instead of just writing it in your own notebook, you tell everyone in the neighborhood, and they all write it down in their notebooks too. This way, everyone knows who has what and who gave what to whom.

But here’s the twist: Once something is written in the notebook, it can’t be changed or erased. It stays there forever. So, if someone tries to cheat by changing what’s written, everyone else will notice because their copies won’t match. This is like having a community-verified record that can’t be tampered with.

That’s essentially what blockchain technology does. It’s like a digital notebook that records transactions across a network of computers. Each transaction is verified by multiple computers (nodes) in the network, and once it’s recorded, it can’t be changed. This makes it secure and transparent, which is why it’s used for things like cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin) and other applications where trust and transparency are important.

Now, what is a blockchain wallet? Let’s connect it back to the notebook analogy:

Remember how we talked about everyone in the neighborhood having a copy of the notebook where transactions are recorded? Well, think of your blockchain wallet as your personal copy of that notebook.

When you get a blockchain wallet, it’s like getting your own personal notebook in the digital world. Instead of writing transactions on paper, though, you’re recording them digitally on the blockchain.

Just like in the neighborhood where everyone writes down their transactions in their notebooks, when you make a transaction with your blockchain wallet, it’s recorded on the blockchain network. And just like in the neighborhood scenario, everyone in the blockchain network has a copy of these transactions, so they’re secure and transparent.

Your blockchain wallet also has a unique address, which is like your personal page in the neighborhood notebook. This address is where other people can send you cryptocurrencies, and it’s also where your transactions are recorded.

So, in essence, your blockchain wallet is like your personal digital notebook where you keep track of all your transactions securely on the blockchain network. And everyone else can also see how much money you have.

Now, let’s extend the analogy to explain cryptocurrency for beginners:

So, imagine if instead of using traditional money like coins and bills, people in the neighborhood started using special tokens called “crypto-coins.” These crypto-coins are like digital tokens that exist only in the digital world.

Just like with regular money, you can use crypto-coins to buy things from others in the neighborhood. But instead of physically handing over coins or bills, you send these digital tokens from your blockchain wallet to someone else’s blockchain wallet.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting: Unlike regular money that’s controlled by a central authority like a bank or government, crypto-coins are decentralized. That means there’s no single person or entity in charge. Instead, transactions are verified and recorded by everyone in the neighborhood who has a copy of the digital notebook (the blockchain).

So, when you make a transaction with crypto-coins, it’s recorded on the blockchain by all the computers (nodes) in the network. This makes crypto transactions secure and transparent because everyone can see them, and they can’t be changed or tampered with.

And just like with traditional money, the value of crypto-coins can go up and down based on supply and demand. People might want to buy crypto-coins because they believe their value will increase over time, or they might use them to invest, trade, or even as a form of payment for goods and services.

In summary, cryptocurrency is like a new form of digital money that operates on a decentralized network called the blockchain. It allows for secure and transparent transactions without the need for intermediaries like banks or governments. And just like with traditional money, it can be used to buy things, invest, or trade, but it’s essential to approach it with caution and understanding.

Crypto World: How Tokenization Could Shake Up The $52 Trillion U.S. Real Estate Market

As the U.S. real estate market ballooned to $52 trillion dollars in 2023, according to Zillow, a growing number of start-ups think web3 can lower the barrier to entry for aspiring real estate investors.

Lofty AI focuses on the rental market, allowing its customers to buy a stake in a rental property for as low as around $50. Those investors earn daily rental income and collectively govern decisions with the property.

Vesta Equity pairs investors with homeowners looking to sell a portion of their home equity as a token in return for cash. The homeowner can repurchase the token at market value at a later date, or the investor holding that token can take advantage of future appreciation of the property at the time of sale.

Innovating Justice: Vanquishing crime with blockchain technology

We are proud to announce that our latest eBook – Innovating Justice: Leveraging Blockchain Technology for the Future of Law Enforcement – is now available to download. The eBook, which has been developed by Bryan Daugherty (Public Policy Director of BSV Blockchain and Founder of SmartLedger), delves into the groundbreaking possibilities of blockchain from a legal aspect.