Cryptocurrency broker HODL Soft, Ltd. appears to be engaged in fraud against California consumers

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) has received a complaint from a California resident regarding a crypto investment.

The victim met a man online, and they began a relationship. After talking about the future, the scammer told her that for a better retirement she should invest in Hodlsofltd.com. The victim transferred money into a cryptocurrency exchange and then invested in the website. She was told she needed to keep her money there for four months before she could withdraw. She could view her account statement online showing large returns. However, after four months, when she tried to withdraw her money, the company starting making excuses for not giving her money back. The company operated a website at https://HodlSoftLtd.com.

This appears to be what is commonly called an “Advance Fee scheme,” which can take many forms, as discussed here:  https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/advance-fee-schemes. This also appears to be what’s known as a Romance Scam, which is described here: https://dfpi.ca.gov/2022/05/20/romance-scams-and-crypto-assets-fact-or-fraud/

The DFPI urges consumers to exercise extreme caution before responding to any solicitation offering investment or financial services.  To check whether an investment or financial service provider is licensed in California, consumers may contact the Department for questions or inquiries at ask.dfpi@dfpi.ca.gov or call toll-free at (866) 275-2677.  If a consumer believes a person or company has violated state law or acted improperly regarding a consumer financial product or service, they may file a formal complaint with the DFPI at https://dfpi.ca.gov/file-a-complaint/.