A Fresh Scam Attempt: The “Start Today” Client and a Fake AML Check

I’m continuing my series of posts about scammers who try to trick us. In the next few articles, I’ll collect more cases—from the most naive attempts to the ones that are genuinely well-disguised.

A fresh case: the “client” who wants to start today

This one is classic in structure. A scammer pretends to be a customer, asks for details of a (fictional) project, requests an estimate and timelines—and the key distinguishing feature is the urgency: they want to start “today.”

That’s an immediate red flag. With real clients, the decision-making cycle is usually longer: anywhere from a week to several months. I’ve personally seen discussions stretch out for half a year.

Where the trap is

Once I agree to work, the “client” sends me to their “accounting department.” That’s where they claim they can’t pay in crypto until I pass an AML check of my wallet.

They provide a link to a website that looks like a copy of amlbot.com, but with one crucial difference: it requires you to connect your wallet and sign a transaction. The contract address is unknown and has nothing to do with any reputable service.

What I found after a quick check

• The domain was registered recently (last year).
• YouTube had fresh videos and Shorts uploaded just a day before they contacted me.
• The site was visually indistinguishable from the original.

My advice: protect your non-custodial wallet

Be extremely careful with non-custodial wallets:

• Don’t connect them “just anywhere,” even if the site looks legit.
• And most importantly: never sign transactions unless you’re 100% sure you’re dealing with an honest service and you understand exactly what you’re signing.

In Web3, scammers don’t need your password—one careless signature is enough.