Free tool · Fake platform check

Is the price on your crypto app real?

If your app shows a big coin like Bitcoin more than about 3% away from the live market price, it is very likely not a real exchange. A matching price proves nothing, though. Many fake platforms copy real prices and fake your balance instead, so this tool checks both.

Private: only the coin name and date are sent to look up prices. The amounts you type stay on this page.

1. Check the price

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Try an example:

2. Check your balance too

Catches fake profits, even when the price looks right
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We work out what your money would be worth if it had simply sat in the coin from that day. If the app says a trading bot or "expert signals" grew it, use the coin it says it trades.

3. Anything else feel off?

Waiting for a price

Pick a coin and type the price your app shows.

    Why a fake platform's prices can look right

    A real exchange matches your order with other buyers and sellers. A fake platform has no market behind it. It is a website or app the scammer controls, and the numbers on it are whatever the scammer types in. The FBI describes these as "fraudulent websites or apps" that show gains to draw in more money. In one 2025 case the SEC said no trading took place at all on three fake platforms, in a scheme that took at least $14 million from US investors.

    Lazy fake sites get the price wrong, and that's what step 1 catches. Careful ones copy a live price feed from a real exchange, so the coin's price looks perfect while your balance climbs much faster than the coin ever did. That is what step 2 catches. Some go a step further and list a coin of their own that no real price site has heard of.

    Wrong price

    The app's price is more than a few percent off the market. Real big exchanges usually stay within about 1% of each other on major coins, because traders close any gap fast.

    Right price, fake balance

    The coin price matches, but your "profit" is far above what the coin did. The dashboard is a drawing, not an account.

    A coin that doesn't exist

    The platform's own token, or a lookalike of a real one, can't be found on any major price site. MetaMask warns that fake tokens can even borrow a real coin's symbol and price.

    Questions people ask

    Can a fake crypto platform show real prices?

    Yes. Many copy a live price feed from a real exchange so the charts look normal. That's why a matching price is not proof the platform is real. Check your balance against what the coin did, and look at whether you can withdraw without paying a fee first.

    How much do prices differ between real exchanges?

    For big coins like Bitcoin and Ether, real exchanges are usually within about 1% of each other, often much less. Stablecoins like USDT and USDC should sit very close to $1. Small, thinly traded coins can drift further apart, so the tool allows a wider gap for those.

    My balance went up fast. Is that a bad sign?

    It depends how fast. If your balance grew far faster than the coin itself, ask where the extra came from. Fake platforms show steady, large gains to get you to add more money. A real account can't make more than the market gave it unless you took real risk, and real risk also means losses.

    The app let me take out a small amount. Doesn't that mean it's real?

    No. The US Justice Department says scammers often let victims withdraw some "profits" early to build trust. The trouble starts when you try to take out the bigger amount.

    They say I must pay a tax or fee before I can withdraw. Should I pay?

    No. The FBI says do not pay extra fees or taxes to withdraw. Victims who pay don't get their money back; they get asked for more. Read our guide to fake crypto apps before you send anything.

    I can't find the coin anywhere. What does that mean?

    If a platform sells a coin that isn't listed on big price sites like CoinGecko, nobody outside that platform is trading it. You may not be able to sell it anywhere else. Treat it as a serious warning sign.

    Does this tool save what I type?

    No. To get the market price, your browser asks CoinGecko (or Coinbase as a backup) for the price of the coin you picked, and for the date you entered if you use step 2. Your amounts never leave the page, and we don't store anything.

    Where do I report a fake trading platform?

    In the US, report it to the FBI at ic3.gov and to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Our guide on how to report a crypto scam covers other countries and what proof to save.

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    What it checks

    The gap between your app's price and the live market price, how your balance compares with what the coin actually did, and the warning signs you tick.

    What it can't do

    It can't prove a platform is safe. A good result only means these numbers line up. Withdrawal fees, pressure and strangers offering help are bigger signs than any price.

    Where the prices come from

    Live and past prices from the CoinGecko public price service, with Coinbase's public price as a backup. Warning signs from the FBI, the SEC and the CFTC.

    Sources

    This checker is for education only and is not legal or financial advice. It does not tell you what to buy or sell. A good result does not mean a platform is genuine. If you have lost money, report it at ic3.gov (US) and call your bank or exchange right away.