Security is a key aspect in industries related to money. Therefore, when searching for a primary or additional source of income, this is what people prioritise. Online trading and cryptocurrency continue to gain momentum, attracting more individuals who want to enter the field. However, this growth also creates additional work for other businesses, particularly legal services.
The reason is obvious: the number of scams in this industry is also increasing. But how did seemingly noble intentions to protect people turn into manipulation and attempts to lure clients? Let us take a closer look.
Aggressive Marketing Disguised as Protection
It is no secret that aggressive marketing can take many forms, and it is not always about directly pushing a client to buy a service. More often, it focuses on pressing on pain points and promising a solution. This is exactly the approach used by many legal firms that claim to specialise in cryptocurrency and investment fraud.
For example, general legal platforms such as anwalt.de often host articles that warn users about “investment scams” or “fraudulent brokers”, sometimes highlighting specific company names without offering clear evidence or context. Such articles are usually published with SEO-optimised headlines designed to attract people searching for terms like “crypto scam” or “fraud alert”.
Similarly, organisations and sites like sgk-ev.de might publish reports or alerts on alleged fraudulent activities. While in theory this seems helpful, in practice these posts often use dramatic language and lack detailed verification, creating anxiety rather than clarity.
Template Accusations and the True Motivation
The main goal of such publications is not consumer protection, but lead generation, usually for paid legal consultations. Even when a “free initial review” is advertised, a specialist will almost always find a reason why the situation is serious enough to require deeper legal support.
Consider sites such as ritschel-keller.de, which position themselves as specialists in “investment and internet fraud”. Their pages often include extensive lists of alleged scams, “broker blacklists” and warnings about trading platforms,content designed to capture search traffic and funnel readers into consultations or premium services.
This approach relies on fear and urgency, with readers being told things like “you might already be a victim”, “time is critical”, or “only we can help you recover your assets”. What starts as a concern quickly becomes a pressured decision to contact a lawyer.
Lack of Verifiable Evidence
A striking feature of many of these articles and warnings is their uniformity and lack of substantiation. Despite strong language, there are often no:
- References to official court decisions.
- Citations from regulators or enforcement agencies.
- Concrete examples with verifiable facts.
In some cases, the article includes what is presented as a “real client story” or a “victim’s experience”. However, a closer comparison of multiple such publications quickly reveals a pattern. These stories are often fictional or heavily exaggerated: the same narrative structure is reused, while only superficial details such as the alleged lost amount or the name of the platform are changed. At best, one or two vague facts remain consistent, while everything else appears interchangeable.
This creates the illusion of authenticity without providing any meaningful proof. The reader is led to believe they are seeing unique, real-life cases, when in reality they are consuming recycled storytelling designed to provoke fear and emotional response.
Instead, the focus remains on generalized “fraud warning” content that could apply to almost any platform. Carefully optimised for search engines, such articles are positioned to capture organic traffic rather than to inform. As a result, potential risks are transformed into marketing tools, and concern is monetised instead of clarified.
How Honest Companies Become Collateral Damage
The collateral damage of these practices extends far beyond misleading advertising. Startups and legitimate platforms in the online trading and crypto space are particularly vulnerable. Without a long history or strong brand presence, they can easily be lumped into broad warnings without context. A potential customer searching for basic information stumbles upon a dramatic “scam” article, loses trust, and never engages further.
This creates a distorted market reality: suspicion replaces due diligence, and fear trumps objective research. Legitimate companies are judged by default, not on their merits.
Erosion of Trust in Legal Services
Ironically, such behaviour also undermines trust in real legal assistance. When every loud warning turns out to be a marketing tool, people begin to doubt genuine alerts as well. Actual cases of fraud and legitimate concerns get drowned out in the noise. Potential victims, unsure who to trust, may hesitate to seek real help, fearing manipulation rather than support. What should be a safeguard becomes a sales funnel.
Where Protection Stops and Exploitation Begins
Security in financial industries is undeniably important. People deserve transparency, verified information, and access to qualified professionals. However, when fear is deliberately exploited and concern is used as a marketing strategy, the line between protection and exploitation becomes dangerously blurred.
Publishing unverified “scam alerts” or generic warnings without context doesn’t educate or protect, it manipulates.
A Call for Greater Responsibility
Consumers deserve better. Legal firms and information platforms should commit to:
- Providing verified, evidence-based content.
- Clearly distinguishing opinion from fact.
- Avoiding sensational headlines designed solely to capture traffic.
- Respecting the reputations of legitimate companies.
Only through responsible communication can the community build genuine trust and ensure that warnings are both helpful and truthful.