Teen Boy Scammed Out of $700 in Cryptocurrency: Adrián’s Story

Adrián, a 15-year-old boy from San Fernando de Henares (Madrid), was enticed by the offer of “free money” at the Plenilunio shopping center in September 2022. He had gone there with some friends to grab a burger, and the enticing offer came from a commercial promoting Worldcoin, a new cryptocurrency that required an iris scan to register. Adrián didn’t think much of it at the time, as he was only focused on the idea of getting free money. No one asked for their age or any documentation, and the group of teenagers were all signed up.

For over a year, Adrián accumulated digital currencies, initially worth only a few cents. By the end of 2023, their value started to rise, and by February 2024, Adrián had amassed 731 euros. However, being a minor, he couldn’t open a bank account to withdraw the money. A Worldcoin employee at Plenilunio, who Adrián knew from San Fernando, offered to help him cash out for a 10% commission, which Adrián agreed to. Unfortunately, he never saw the money again due to fraudulent activities on behalf of his helper.

On March 6th