Fake Elon Musk giveaway featured in cryptocurrency scams - U.S. FTC

FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen at the Federal Trade Commission headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 29, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fake promised giveaways by celebrities such as Telsa CEO Elon Musk are being used by scammers to cash in on interest in cryptocurrencies, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Monday in noting a jump in complaints about cryptocurrency fraud since October.

In one type of scam, people are told that if they give a certain amount of crytocurrency to a "celebrity" they will get more back.