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Investment Scams · 1920s boiler rooms – today's crypto chats

Pump and Dump

Insiders quietly load up on a cheap stock, then hype it everywhere. Once regular investors pile in, the insiders dump — and the price collapses.

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The short of it

Pump and Dump is a investment scams that dates to the 1920s boiler rooms – today's crypto chats. Insiders quietly load up on a cheap stock, then hype it everywhere. Once regular investors pile in, the insiders dump — and the price collapses. The tell is usually simple: sudden, coordinated hype in chat rooms or social media. If you remember one thing, remember this — ignore stock tips from anonymous strangers.

Warning Signs

  • Sudden, coordinated hype in chat rooms or social media.
  • Promises of guaranteed short-term returns.
  • Thin trading volume before the buzz.

Protect Yourself

  • Ignore stock tips from anonymous strangers.
  • Check SEC filings before buying anything obscure.
  • If it feels like a stampede, it usually is.

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