It's really unfortunate to hear about people losing their hard-earned money. This is why due diligence and a cautious approach are crucial in investments, especially in something as volatile as crypto. If you ever decide to dive into the crypto world, consider the tax implications as well. A site I recently found useful for crypto-related tax matters is cryptotax.tools. It reviews various crypto tax software and might be helpful for those who are still navigating the waters of crypto taxation.
Stay safe, and may you find investments that are both rewarding and relatively low-risk.

It's often the early birds who get the worms, and by the time the average person hears about an "opportunity,"

I don't have any sympathy for losers. They were warned. They were greedy. They were stupid. Bill Maher warned them in explicit detail some time back, widely reported. It should be stopped. Bad for the environment, bad for the economy. Grift.

Cryptocurrencies are just a variation on pyramid schemes.