Combating Misinformation and Global Nations' False Narratives Through Education: Mitigating Cryptocurrency-Related Crime

Abstract

This systematic review explored cryptocurrency-related crime and the role of community education in mitigating these threats using PRISMA guidelines. The study synthesised evidence from 20 high-quality studies (2008–2025) obtained from databases including Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, the Australian Institute of Criminology, and Google Scholar. The review revealed key cryptocurrency-enabled crimes, such as phishing, ransomware, identity theft, romance fraud, market manipulation, and gambling scams, that exploit the decentralised and anonymous nature of cryptocurrencies, resulting in financial losses worldwide. Increasing awareness and community education are fundamental in reducing exposure through methods such as targeted training, strong security practices (including two-factor and multi-factor authentication), source verification, and prompt reporting of suspicious activities. The review further indicated the necessity of building trust through risk management practices, technological expertise, and a regulatory framework to enhance community resilience.