At Sentz, your financial security is our top priority.
While we build robust security features into the app, bad actors are constantly inventing new tactics to bait you into sending them money.
Because Sentz is a self-custodial wallet and transactions settle in seconds, payments are strictly 100% irreversible. We cannot freeze or reverse funds once they leave your wallet.
As the world continues to evolve and cybercrime reports rise, we've created a guide that outlines the most common scams and ways to protect your funds.
🚩 Romance and Social Engineering Fraud
How it works:
Scammers build fake relationships with victims on social media, chat, and dating apps. They often use fake identities, claim to be from overseas, and frequently target vulnerable individuals, including the elderly. Once trust is established, they invent an extreme emergency (a medical bill, a loan, a broken laptop, or flight tickets) and request money in return.
How to avoid it:
Be extremely cautious about sending money to romantic interests you only know online. If they refuse to meet in person or keep having financial emergencies, it might be a scam, and you should exercise extreme caution.
🚩 Impersonation and Identity Fraud
How it works:
Scammers create fake accounts posing as celebrities (e.g., Elon Musk, Vin Diesel), government entities (e.g., the United Nations), or major financial institutions (e.g., Bank of America, PayPal, Wells Fargo). They may reach out on social media, text message, or email, asking for "test payments," donations, or investments. Some even use these fake profiles to trick users during KYC verification.
How to avoid it:
Sentz or Sentz Support will NEVER ask for your OTP, recovery phrase, or PIN.
Verified celebrities, government bodies, and official banks will not DM you asking for money. Always verify the true identity of whoever you are interacting with.
🚩 Goods and Services Delivery
How it works:
You pay for items (such as gadgets, clothes, and jewelry) or services from an unverified vendor on social media platforms. The vendor asks you to pay them via Sentz. Once you send the funds, they block you and either never deliver the goods or keep telling you they haven't received the funds (even though you've surely been debited).
How to avoid it:
Sentz is a self-custodial wallet, and transactions settle in seconds, especially if you use our P2P (Peer-to-Peer) payment network. Also, we do not offer buyer protection or dispute resolution for goods purchased from third parties.
Only transact with trusted, highly verified merchants.
🚩 Advance Fee Fraud & Fake Invoices/Receipts
How it works:
You receive a fraudulent/fake invoice or payment request claiming you have been credited a large sum of money or won a raffle. The scammers often use official-sounding descriptions like "PAYPAL SERVICE - Payment status: Successful."
However, they claim you must first pay a small "clearance fee" or "withdrawal fee" to release the large sum.
How to avoid it:
Legitimate platforms and clients will never require you to pay your own money to receive funds you are owed or funds they claim you've won in a raffle.
Do not pay the small fee; the large sum definitely does not exist. Ignore and report these fake invoices to our support team immediately you receive them.
🚩 Extortion, Emotional Manipulation, and Blackmail
How it works:
Scammers gain access to your private information or trick you into sharing compromising documents, photos, or videos. They then threaten to expose this content to your family, friends, or employer unless you pay an extortion fee.
How to avoid it:
Do not engage or pay the ransom. Paying scammers rarely makes them go away; it usually leads to more demands. Block the user immediately and report the extortion to local law enforcement and Sentz support.
🚩 The "Double Your Money" Investment Scam
How it works:
You see an ad or get added to a social media chat group promising guaranteed, massive returns (e.g., "Send $50, get $100 in 2 hours"). They ask you to send funds to their Sentz wallet to "activate" your investment.
How to avoid it:
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Sentz is a self-custodial wallet, not an investment platform. We do not run "cash flipping," "multiplier" promos, or investment schemes.
🚩 Phishing Links & Fake Airdrops
How it works:
You receive an email, SMS, or social media message claiming you have won a giveaway, "airdrop," or cash prize from Sentz. To claim it, you are instructed to click a link that takes you to a fake website that looks exactly like Sentz. On this cloned website or user interface, you are asked to enter your login details, phone number, and OTP.
How to avoid it:
Sentz does not offer airdrops.
Because Sentz is a self-custodial wallet, we do not randomly distribute free tokens or run "airdrop" campaigns. Any message or post offering a Sentz airdrop is a scam designed to steal your account information. Furthermore, we will never ask you to log in to claim a prize outside of the official Sentz app. Never click on unverified links or enter your OTP on a website that looks like Sentz.
🚩 The "Accidental Overpayment" Scam
How it works:
A "client" or stranger sends you money (or sends a fake email/screenshot of a payment) that is much higher than agreed upon. They immediately contact you, claiming they made a mistake, and urgently ask you to "refund" the extra money back to a different Sentz wallet.
How to avoid it:
If you receive a fake receipt, always verify your balance inside the Sentz app first. If a stranger actually sends you real funds and demands them back, ignore them and contact Support to investigate.
The original funds could have been obtained via a stolen credit card. If you refund them from your account, you'll lose your money once the bank reverses the charge and could face law enforcement scrutiny.
Best Practices for Staying Safe 🔐
Beware of accepting Payment Requests from strangers.
Verify Before You Send: Double-check the phone number or username before hitting "Pay."
Never share your Secret recovery phrase or PIN with anyone, not even your friends, family, or someone claiming to work at Sentz.
What should I do if I get scammed?
If you believe you have fallen victim to a scam:
Report the User: Click the Support icon on the Sentz App Homepage or email us directly at support@sentz.com.
Understand the Limits: Because Sentz is fully self-custodial, we cannot freeze or reverse funds—transactions are strictly 100% irreversible.
However, we will investigate and ban fraudulent accounts to protect our customers.
Engage Law Enforcement: After reporting to our Support team, we strongly recommend contacting your local Police or other relevant Law Enforcement agencies in your jurisdiction to file a formal report. Rest assured, we are dedicated to supporting law enforcement in their investigations.
If you need further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our Support team, and we'll be happy to help.