China’s social giant WeChat has issued a fresh security alert after a surge in user complaints about illegal activities circulating through group chats, according to ChainCatcher.

WeChat’s review teams identified organized pyramid schemes and fraud networks using crypto-related narratives to trap vulnerable users. The perpetrators typically present themselves as intermediaries for government-linked programs or claim access to mechanisms that can “unfreeze national assets” — a classic social engineering tactic in China’s scam ecosystem.

Once inside these groups, victims are pressured with promises of high investment returns, allegedly tied to blockchain virtual currencies, stablecoins, and government policy shifts. Members are pushed to recruit others, join daily “check-ins,” attend group meetings, and download suspicious apps carrying high fraud risk.

These schemes mimic the structure of multi-level marketing, but with a more sophisticated digital veneer. The combination of official-sounding language, crypto jargon, and community-driven pressure makes them especially dangerous.

WeChat emphasized that such activities pose a serious threat to user financial security, urging the public to remain vigilant, avoid unsolicited groups, and report any suspicious content immediately.

As crypto continues to surge across Asia, platforms are scrambling to contain scammers who exploit the technology’s appeal to engineer trust — and ultimately steal funds.