NFT Rental Platform Fabricates Earnings Reports to Lure High-Value Investments Before Exit Scamming

Who Gets Targeted

Victims are primarily young investors aged 20-40 and some small-to-medium business owners who lack professional blockchain knowledge, concentrated in first- and second-tier cities. They are easily attracted by high daily return data and forged on-chain rental contract screenshots displayed by platforms. Gullible to slogans like 'Lock-up to earn, instant payout,' they lack the ability to verify if a platform is registered or audited by a third party. Driven by wishful thinking, they continue to add funds after receiving initial returns. The scale of losses from such 'custodial interest' scams is staggering: according to media reports on similar cases (the 'Cloud Cattle' adoption rebate case), some investors cumulatively invested 3 million yuan. Audit data shows the total amount involved in the case exceeded 560 million yuan, causing over 40 million yuan in losses for tens of thousands of investors by the time the case broke (media estimates, not independently verified). Investors ultimately find themselves unable to withdraw funds, losing everything.

骗局怎么运作

• Step 1: Project operators use social media, Telegram, Discord, and other channels to release promotional materials promising high daily returns, accompanied by AI-generated rental return curves and forged on-chain rental contract screenshots to establish credibility. Common slogans include 'The first NFT rental and interest-earning platform on the web, 30% stable daily return.'
• Step 2: After users complete KYC on the platform, they are required to deposit a certain amount of USDT or ETH as a 'rental security deposit.' The platform claims that rental income can only be generated after locking up funds, using high-pressure tactics like 'Lock-up to earn, instant payout' to create a fear of missing out.
• Step 3: The platform provides a forged rental settlement page, displaying real-time fictional earnings growth, and even uses screenshots or short videos to demonstrate 'received' records to boost user trust. Common rhetoric includes 'The system has automatically transferred funds to your wallet; you only need to keep your funds locked.'
• Step 4: Once a user has invested a certain amount, the platform gradually restricts withdrawal channels, claiming that withdrawals require additional 'rental verification' or 'platform dividend audits.' They delay payments using excuses like technical glitches or blockchain congestion, while continuing to induce users to add more investment to obtain higher 'dividend' percentages.
• Step 5: When the cumulative funds raised reach a preset threshold or the platform faces regulatory pressure, the operators shut down the website, delete social media accounts, and transfer all on-chain assets to hidden addresses, executing an exit scam. Victims can only discover through on-chain tracking that assets have been drained, and all official customer service channels become unresponsive.

红旗信号（看到这些快跑）

• 🚩 The platform provides only estimated returns without any audit reports or third-party monitoring; official registration information is missing or incorrect.
• 🚩 Promotional pages use exaggerated daily return figures (30%+) without risk warnings, often using 'Lock-up to earn' to lure users.
• 🚩 Requires large one-time deposits or additional investments to unlock so-called 'dividends,' and uses technical glitches as an excuse to block withdrawals.
• 🚩 The provided on-chain contract address does not match official announcements, and on-chain transaction records reveal that rental returns are merely forged internal transfers.
• 🚩 Customer service responds only via private messaging tools, cannot provide formal business contracts or official email addresses, and disappears immediately after large deposits are made.

真实案例

• In 2026, Yicha.com exposed the collapse of the Lianhe Intelligent Computing Center custodial dividend scheme: with approximately 110,000 members and over 100 million yuan stolen by operators, the platform used the lure of a one-time 60,000 yuan server usage right rental with a promised 120,000 yuan return over 17 months. Victims reported being unable to withdraw funds starting July 12, and are currently seeking legal recourse. (Source: https://panxun.vwt.cc/article/6474.html)
• On June 15, 2026, a reporter from The Paper learned from the Xuhui District People's Procuratorate of Shanghai that the fundraising fraud case involving the 'Quanmin Yangniu' (National Cattle Raising) platform had been sentenced: the amount involved reached over 560 million yuan. The defendant, Zhang, was sentenced to ten years and six months in prison for fundraising fraud and fined 750,000 yuan. The platform claimed investors could adopt an Australian beef cattle for a minimum of 5,000 yuan, promising an annualized return of 5% to 15% with guaranteed principal and interest. (Source: https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_33384485?commTag=true)
• In July 2026, Pingpan.cc issued a warning against a fake VAST.AI investment scheme: an overseas group impersonated the AI unicorn VAST.AI, which had just raised 1 billion, to conduct a pyramid scheme. The platform used 'AI computing power rental' as a facade to set tiered investment levels, starting from 500 USDT with a 0.5% daily return, up to 59,880 USDT for the highest tier, while implementing direct/indirect referral rewards and team-level dividend pyramid mechanisms. (Source: https://pingpan.cc/article/5933.html)

Official Stance

• National Internet Finance Association of China, Banking Association of China, and Securities Association of China, 2022-04-13, issued the 'Initiative on Preventing Financial Risks Related to NFTs' (Source: http://www.news.cn/2022-04/14/c_1128560570.htm)

How to Protect Yourself

• ✅ Before investing funds in any NFT rental platform, be sure to verify whether the platform is registered with industrial and commercial authorities and has obtained the corresponding financial business filings. Do not invest in any unregistered platforms.
• ✅ Check if the platform provides third-party audit reports or real-time on-chain earnings monitoring. If only screenshots or internal reports are provided, be vigilant and demand on-chain verification.
• ✅ Do not trust promotions promising 'one-click lock-up, instant payout.' Any investment should comply with financial regulatory principles of 'risk disclosure' and 'traceable fund transfers.' Always keep records of your transfers.
• ✅ If a platform requires additional investment to unlock withdrawals, stop operations immediately and verify the platform's legitimacy through official channels (such as regulatory websites). Report to the police and file a record if necessary.