Do this immediately • Stop sending any money right now (no “tax”, no “clearance”, no “unlock fee”) • Do not try to complete the payment to release funds • Do not trust “final payment” claims • Secure anything else you still control immediately • Save all messages, payment details, wallet addresses, and screenshots If crypto was involved, check where funds went using Etherscan before taking any other action. What’s happening (simple explanation) This is usually a fake withdrawal trap where scammers invent “tax” or “clearance fees” to justify extra payments. The pattern is simple: • show profit or balance • block withdrawal • introduce a “required payment” • repeat with new fees after each payment What this means for your funds • The money is likely already under control of the platform or scammers • The “tax” is not connected to any real authority • Paying it usually does not unlock withdrawal • It often triggers more payment demands instead What to do next • Stop all communication that pressures you to pay •…