NIUFO Exposed: An Investigation into the Crypto Scam Targeting Italy

Warning: A cryptocurrency platform named NIUFO is displaying all the characteristics of a sophisticated "pig-butchering" scam, with a clear and deliberate focus on Italian investors.

While NIUFO presents itself as a legitimate digital asset exchange, a deeper analysis reveals a deceptive structure designed to lure victims. The operation is split between a public-facing website, niufo.com, which serves as a facade, and a hidden, invite-only trading platform, niufo.co, where the fraudulent activity occurs.

If you or anyone you know has been contacted regarding this platform, exercise extreme caution.

Critical Red Flags You Must Recognize

• Hidden Trading Platform: NIUFO's primary deception is its two-website structure. The official site, niufo.com, is merely for show. The actual trading platform, niufo.co, is not advertised publicly and can only be accessed through a private link, typically provided by the scammer managing the relationship with the victim.
• Mandatory Invitation Codes: This is a classic hallmark of a closed fraud scheme. Legitimate exchanges want open access for everyone. NIUFO’s platform requires a mandatory invitation code to register, ensuring that only targets personally brought in by a scammer can gain access.
• Specific Targeting of Italian Users: The platform’s website and customer support chat both default to the Italian language. This is a clear indicator that their primary target demographic is the Italian-speaking community.
• Unofficial and Unsafe App Downloads: NIUFO instructs users to download its mobile apps by scanning a QR code, bypassing the official Apple App Store and Google Play Store. These unofficial apps are not subject to security vetting and could contain malware designed to steal your personal data.
• Virtually Non-Existent Web Traffic: According to data from Semrush, the public niufo.com website receives fewer than 100 visits per month, and the hidden niufo.co trading site has no measurable traffic at all. A real exchange cannot operate with such low activity, confirming it is not a genuine, publicly used platform.

How NIUFO Creates an Illusion of Legitimacy

Scammers go to great lengths to appear credible. NIUFO uses several tactics to build a convincing facade:

1. Aged Domain Name: The niufo.com domain was registered in 2007. Scammers often purchase old domains to create a false sense of history and stability. This date does not reflect when the trading platform actually began its operations.
2. Misleading Regulatory Claims: NIUFO claims to be registered with the U.S. FinCEN as a Money Services Business (MSB). While this sounds official, an MSB registration is primarily for anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-terrorist financing (CFT) purposes. It does not provide any regulatory oversight for cryptocurrency exchange operations or guarantee the safety of investor funds. It is a common smoke-and-mirror tactic.
3. Proprietary Token (NFTK): The platform features its own token, NFTK, with functions like fee discounts and staking rewards. This is designed to make the ecosystem seem more professional and legitimate, but the token has no value outside of NIUFO’s closed system.
4. Superficial Social Media Presence: NIUFO maintains accounts on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, but a quick look shows they are updated infrequently, lack meaningful engagement, and post only promotional content. These are ghost accounts created to check a box for legitimacy.

Conclusion: Avoid NIUFO at All Costs

All evidence points to one conclusion: NIUFO is not a legitimate trading platform but a predatory operation engineered to defraud investors, with a specific focus on the Italian market. The separation of its public website from its hidden trading platform is a deliberate strategy to control and deceive its victims.

We strongly advise all investors to:

• DO NOT deposit any funds into the NIUFO platform.
• DO NOT download its unofficial mobile applications.
• WARN friends and family, especially within the Italian community, about this high-risk platform.