This scammer thought he could outsmart The Crypto Ponzi Scheme Avenger… big mistake.

In this eye-opening video, I, Danny de Hek aka The Crypto Ponzi Scheme Avenger, take you behind the scenes of a real scam attempt where a fraudster tried to steal my crypto wallet by impersonating Binance support over the phone.

*IT ALL STARTED WITH A TEXT:*
“Binance: Your verification code is: 829-106. If you did not request this code, please contact our support team immediately at +6499730014.”

*SOUNDS LEGIT, RIGHT? IT’S NOT.*
That phone number leads straight to a scammer operating out of a New Zealand line—armed with a script, psychological tactics, and a plan to con people into giving up their seed phrase.

This video includes the full transcript of the call—unedited—so you can hear firsthand the tactics used to:

- Mimic real Binance support
- Create urgency and fear
- Gain trust through repetition and tech jargon
- Pressure victims into installing Trust Wallet
- Trick them into revealing their 12-word seed phrase

They even pretended to “upgrade” me to a fake “Level 3 Binance Security Plan” that only allows one device to be logged in at a time. Their goal? To lure victims into a fake recovery process that actually hands over full access to their crypto wallet.

🔐 *KEY LESSON:*

Never, under any circumstances, give your seed phrase to anyone.
Not Binance. Not Trust Wallet. Not “support.”
If someone asks for it—they’re trying to rob you.

💣 This is the same scam targeting Mum and Dad investors around the world. And I’m not having it.

This channel is dedicated to calling out Ponzi schemes, MLM grifters, and crypto scam artists who prey on everyday people trying to secure their financial future.

I don’t just report scams.
I expose the people behind them.
I document the evidence.
And I fight back—publicly.

🔗 FULL BLOG with Transcript and Analysis:
👉 https://www.dehek.com/general/ponzi-scheme-scamalerts/dont-give-it-up-how-a-scammer-tried-to-steal-my-crypto-wallet-with-a-simple-phone-call/

👊 Join the fight against the multilevel marketing bottom feeders of the world.
Let’s make sure they don’t get away with stealing anyone else’s crypto.

🎯 *WHO THIS VIDEO IS FOR*

- Crypto beginners learning wallet safety
- Victims of phone scams or fake Binance support
- Anyone targeted by phishing or impersonation attacks
- Scam fighters and whistleblowers
- Regulators, journalists, and watchdogs who want proof of how these scams work

📢 *SHARE THIS VIDEO* if you want to warn others.
Let’s stop scammers before they get another victim.

*SPONSOR A REVIEW*

- Want me to investigate a specific scheme? You can now sponsor a deep-dive review — I’ll trace the founders, dig into the documents, and expose the mechanics of the fraud: https://danny.dehek.com/index.php?rp=/store/danny-de-hek/review

*RESOURCES & SUPPORT:*

- Global Reporting Guide – How to Report Cybercrime & Crypto Scams:https://www.dehek.com/general/ponzi-scheme-scamalerts/how-to-report-cybercrime-and-cryptocurrency-scams-a-global-guide/
- Track where your crypto really went:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_eMtZBEgkhyq376U3CwAoetWuXQ13dka3pj2qh_ZGjs

*SUPPORT MY WORK:*

- Support The Crypto Ponzi Scheme Avenger: https://ko-fi.com/dehek
- Donate in USDT (BNB Smart Chain):0x41874280aa32a2eebf29f497afba9c46b4b27650

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LunaOne promised the moon—and delivered dust. Now, a rebranded company called FourthStar claims it has bought the “intellectual property” from LunaOne and wants to start fresh, while distancing itself from the failed crypto metaverse scheme that allegedly scammed thousands.

But the crypto community isn’t buying the redemption arc, especially when the new players admit they’ve inherited the tech—along with some of the same faces and stories.

The Rise and Fall of LunaOne

LunaOne, a flashy metaverse crypto project, lured in more than 11,000 investors with slick marketing, paid influencer promotions, and bogus claims of brand partnerships. Investors like Cindy and Ann were told that buying in early meant big rewards: pre-sale tokens offered at $0.15 were supposed to launch at $0.25.

But when launch day arrived, tokens debuted at just $0.05—and the platform fell silent.

Some investors didn’t even receive their tokens until after the crash. Others reported never receiving them at all. Promised partnerships with Coca-Cola, Xbox, and PlayStation turned out to be smoke and mirrors. Discords were silenced, admins were paid in tokens to suppress criticism, and investors who asked questions were kicked out.

False Promises and Delayed Tokens

The core deception lay in the tokenomics. Buyers were promised a controlled launch at $0.25—yet what happened was the exact opposite. Many received nothing. Others were air-dropped tokens too late to salvage any value.

The leadership, including Stephen McCullah and Daniel Puzny, disappeared from the project. Puzny, allegedly stepping down for “health reasons,” went on to launch a suspiciously similar project called NuUReal. McCullah, meanwhile, is the man who once raised money on Kickstarter to hunt dinosaurs in the Congo. Yes, really.

Who’s Really Behind LunaOne—and Now FourthStar?

Documents and interviews reveal that McCullah was always the true architect of LunaOne. The front-facing CEO, Daniel Puzny, was little more than a placeholder. McCullah’s name appears on legal documents, company registrations, and apology letters to the LunaOne community.

FourthStar’s current team includes Craig Wilshere, a developer who was contracted by LunaOne and never paid, according to insiders. John Seia, an Australian investor-turned-contributor, reached out to Danny de Hek in a phone call (recorded and published with this blog), claiming he lost $40,000 of his own money and is now helping FourthStar voluntarily. His words:

Misleading Marketing & Red Flags

LunaOne mastered the playbook of crypto hype: fake brand endorsements, influencer-driven sales funnels, staged AMA calls, and vague promises of “world-changing tech.”

They convinced the average person to part with thousands using “starter packages” and gamified staking options.

Meanwhile, The Run Guys—crypto influencers with huge followings—endorsed the project for months, even meeting with McCullah before launch. They later scrubbed their YouTube channel and released a non-apology.

READ MORE >>

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I’ve spent countless hours uncovering Ponzi schemes and helping victims understand the true nature of these scams. My goal has always been to empower people, helping them avoid losing their hard-earned money. However, my recent experience with an individual I’ll call Ethan Graves (a pseudonym) and his associate, representing companies based in Austria and elsewhere, opened my eyes to a concerning aspect of the recovery services industry. This is my account, my observations, and my opinion, shared to provide cautionary insight to others.

The Podcast That Raised Red Flags

Ethan Graves and I recorded the podcast in one of the meeting rooms at the Global Financial Crime Summit 2024. The discussion centered on the event itself—how insightful the sessions were, the innovative strategies shared by experts, and the importance of global collaboration in fighting financial crime. Ethan brought a cameraman to document the podcast, which seemed like a straightforward way to capture and share the moment.

After the podcast, Ethan posted photos and videos on social media, including images of himself standing at a podium with the summit’s signage prominently displayed in the background. To someone unfamiliar with the situation, these posts might give the impression that Ethan was closely affiliated with the summit or had an official role as a delegate or speaker. In reality, Ethan’s only connection to the event was being invited to record the podcast in the venue.

While the posts didn’t explicitly claim he was part of the summit, in my opinion, the way they were presented could mislead people into believing Ethan was more involved than he actually was. At first, I thought little of it, assuming Ethan was simply proud of being associated with such an important event. However, things began to shift after the podcast aired.

A week after I returned home, I started receiving emails from people who had seen the podcast. Many of these messages were supportive, but a significant number raised serious concerns about Ethan. Several individuals claimed he was a scammer, warning me to be cautious. Others shared documents that painted a troubling picture of his professional activities.

These emails stopped me in my tracks. Until then, I had seen Ethan as a fellow advocate for scam victims—someone committed to helping those who had been defrauded. But the allegations and evidence I was receiving suggested a different story.

The documents I received included:

• Contracts and agreements related to recovery services that raised questions about transparency and fairness.
• Complaints from individuals who claimed they had paid fees upfront but had seen no progress or results.
• Information suggesting that Ethan’s professional partner and their organization were more focused on collecting fees than on delivering real outcomes.

What had started as an impromptu podcast to highlight the value of the summit quickly backfired on Ethan. Instead of boosting his credibility, it prompted people to come forward with concerns and evidence that cast doubt on his intentions.

Returning Home: The Proposal That Changed Everything

Shortly after I returned to New Zealand, Ethan reached out with a proposal that changed my perspective entirely. He explained that he had been discussing with his professional partner at their organisation the idea of pursuing a recovery initiative for victims of Ponzi schemes, particularly HyperVerse. They wanted me to direct victims to their services and, in return, offered to pay me a flat-rate fee.

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I’m on @buymeacoffee. If you like my work, you can buy me a coffee and share your thoughts.

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