The dark web is often portrayed as a hub for illegal activities, but one of its biggest threats is scams. Many users exploring the dark web fall victim to fraudsters who take advantage of the anonymity of the Tor network to steal money, data, or even identities. Unlike scams on the regular internet, dark web scams often have no legal recourse—once you lose your money, it’s gone for good. Here are some of the biggest scams on the dark web that have fooled thousands of people.
One of the most notorious scams on the dark web is the "hitman-for-hire" service. These websites claim to offer professional assassins who can eliminate enemies, cheating spouses, or business rivals for a hefty price—usually in Bitcoin or Monero.
One of the most infamous fake hitman sites was Besa Mafia, which scammed users out of hundreds of thousands of dollars before being exposed by hackers and law enforcement.
Reality Check: No real assassination services exist on the dark web. All hitman services are scams designed to steal money.
Many dark web users search for drug markets, counterfeit goods, or hacking tools, but a huge number of so-called “marketplaces” are outright scams.
Some marketplaces also go "exit scam", meaning they operate for months or years before suddenly shutting down and stealing all user funds.
A famous example was Empire Market, a popular darknet market that suddenly disappeared in 2020 with over $30 million in user funds.
Reality Check: Many dark web marketplaces are set up just to steal money. Even the "legit" ones eventually exit scam.
Many scam sites on the dark web promise high returns on Bitcoin investments, claiming they have secret investment strategies, hidden crypto mining farms, or access to exclusive blockchain technology.
Some sites also offer dark web lotteries, promising big Bitcoin jackpots. However, these lotteries are rigged, and no one ever wins.
A well-known scam was "Darknet Lotto", which claimed to be a decentralized lottery but stole all the Bitcoin sent to it.
Reality Check: Any dark web website promising "guaranteed crypto profits" or "secret investment opportunities" is a scam.
Some of the most infamous dark web scams involve so-called “Red Rooms”, which claim to offer live torture or murder streams that viewers can watch for a fee. These sites often claim users can pay extra to request specific acts of violence.
Many of these scams even use edited videos from real-world crime footage to trick users into believing Red Rooms exist.
Reality Check: There is no evidence that real Red Rooms exist. Every website claiming to offer them is a scam.
Some scammers claim to have access to stolen data from governments, corporations, or personal accounts. They threaten to leak the data unless a ransom is paid.
There are also fake ransomware attacks, where criminals claim they have encrypted your files and demand a ransom—but in reality, no data was ever stolen.
Reality Check: Many hackers on the dark web do not have the data they claim—they just want people to panic and send money.
Some dark web sites claim they can provide fake passports, driver’s licenses, or Social Security numbers for people trying to create new identities.
Even worse, some fake passport services actually sell their buyers' information to law enforcement, leading to arrests.
Reality Check: Most dark web identity services are scams, and using fake passports is a serious crime that can lead to legal trouble.
The dark web has many sites that claim to sell stolen credit cards, allowing users to make fraudulent purchases. However, many of these are scams.
There are also fake money laundering services, where users pay to have their cryptocurrency “cleaned”—only to lose their funds entirely.
Reality Check: Most "carding" and laundering services are scams. Even if they were real, using stolen financial data is a federal crime.
If you are exploring the dark web, follow these tips to avoid getting scammed:
Scams are everywhere on the dark web, and many people lose thousands of dollars to fraudsters who take advantage of anonymity. Whether it’s fake assassination services, counterfeit money, or hacked accounts, most dark web schemes exist solely to steal cryptocurrency from unsuspecting users.
If you are navigating the dark web, it’s essential to stay skeptical, never pay upfront for services, and remember that most illegal offerings are nothing more than scams designed to trap the gullible.