Crypto scams and phishing: spot the trap before you click

The most common scam pattern

The scammer creates pressure. You must act now. Your wallet must be verified. Your account will be closed. A token claim expires today. A celebrity is giving away coins. A support agent needs one more code. The details change, but the emotional script is the same: hurry, trust, click, sign.

Crypto is irreversible. Scammers know that one rushed approval can be enough.

Fake support and recovery scams

If you post about a wallet problem, fake support accounts may message you within minutes. They may use real logos, professional language, and links that look close to the real domain. They usually ask you to connect a wallet, paste a seed phrase, install software, or pay a recovery fee.

Legitimate support cannot reverse an on-chain transaction and should never ask for recovery words.

Wallet drainers and malicious approvals

A wallet drainer is a site or contract designed to get permission to move assets. Sometimes it looks like an NFT mint, a token claim, a staking page, or a portfolio tool. The dangerous part is not always the page itself. It is the transaction you approve.

Before signing, read the wallet prompt. If it asks for broad token approvals or permissions you do not understand, stop.

A simple anti-scam checklist

• Type important URLs manually or use saved bookmarks.
• Ignore DMs from support accounts.
• Never share seed phrases, private keys, or one-time codes.
• Use a separate wallet for experiments and a clean wallet for storage.
• Assume guaranteed returns are marketing at best and fraud at worst.

What to do if you clicked

If you only opened a page, close it. If you connected a wallet or signed something, move remaining assets to a fresh wallet if possible and review approvals. If your exchange account is involved, change passwords, revoke sessions, and enable stronger two-factor authentication.