So how to detect smart scams? To be honest there is no way. Whether the project has KYC or Audit doesn't mean it's safe for a team that isn't a scammer. They just don't care about everything.
Believing that every audited project is legitimate is the worst because there are hundreds of audit companies that are only after the money and do not care or do any research into the project they are auditing; nowadays, you get addicted as long as you have a website and a token, no background check, road map, or project capital funds. I've worked on some projects that were audited by a reputable audit team and then went awry after a while. Never accept an audited project; always DYOR.
1. Don't invest in a brand-new project.
Being a new project does not imply that it will scam in the future; every project began with one customer before growing to millions of users, and the rules of crypto have always been to enter early and exit late. Every investment is a gamble; you either win or lose; there are no middle ground options. But, while I understand that investing in a new project carries a higher risk than investing in a proven project, how can we tell if the project is a scam without investing in it?
5. Check the project's Partnership and verify if it's real and potential.
Is this really important? Luna had numerous partnerships over the years but eventually became one of the biggest cryptocurrency scams.