Impersonation scams leverage trust in public figures, faking endorsements for crypto projects or giveaways. Victims lose billions annually to these, often via social media. This article unpacks their tactics, offering educational insights on detection and response. 1. Creating Fake Profiles Scammers duplicate handles like @elonmusk, adding subtle changes (e.g., underscores) and using stolen photos. They post about "double your crypto" schemes, urging sends to a wallet. These align with real events, like Tesla announcements, to seem credible. Educatively, verify blue checks and account creation dates; X's advanced search can reveal duplicates. 2. Building Engagement Fake accounts interact with victims, promising returns for small sends. Livestreams or AMAs amplify urgency. Funds arrive in initial wallets, recorded transparently but controlled by fraudsters. Common in 2025 were scams mimicking Vitalik Buterin, highlighting platform verification flaws. 3. Fund Movement and Obfuscation Post-receipt, splitting occurs: automated to evade blocks. Chain hops to Tron for cheap fees, then mixing. Privacy enhancements like zk-SNARKs in coins such as Zcash break trails, educating on why quick action matters. 4. Cash-Out and Evasion Exchanges in jurisdictions like Seychelles facilitate withdrawals, often via prepaid cards. Global coordination is key, as scams span borders. Where Tracing Can Intervene Impersonations leave social and on-chain clues; early flags enable wallet monitoring. Cryptera Chain Signals traces these, clustering impersonator wallets and aiding freezes, with successes in high-profile 2026 cases. Contact them at https://www.crypterachainsignals.com/ or info@crypterachainsignals.com for impersonation recovery. Question unsolicited offers; official figures rarely request funds directly.