[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":299},["ShallowReactive",2],{"page-\u002Fguides\u002Fcommon-crypto-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":281,"extension":282,"meta":283,"navigation":295,"path":288,"seo":296,"stem":297,"__hash__":298},"content\u002Fguides\u002Fcommon-crypto-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them.md","Common Crypto Scams and How to Avoid Them (2026)",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":270},"minimark",[9,13,16,21,24,27,43,46,60,64,67,69,83,85,99,103,106,108,122,124,141,145,205,209,229,233,236,239,243],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Crypto scams are not all the same. Some are low-effort phishing attempts, while others are highly convincing operations that can drain wallets, steal seed phrases, or trick users into fake investment schemes.",[10,14,15],{},"The best protection starts with recognizing the different levels of risk.",[17,18,20],"h2",{"id":19},"level-1-obvious-scams","Level 1: obvious scams",[10,22,23],{},"These are the easiest to spot once you know the pattern.",[10,25,26],{},"Examples:",[28,29,30,34,37,40],"ul",{},[31,32,33],"li",{},"fake giveaway posts",[31,35,36],{},"direct messages promising guaranteed returns",[31,38,39],{},"support impersonators asking for your seed phrase",[31,41,42],{},"scam comments under YouTube, Telegram, or X posts",[10,44,45],{},"How to protect yourself:",[28,47,48,51,54,57],{},[31,49,50],{},"never share your seed phrase or private key",[31,52,53],{},"ignore guaranteed-profit claims",[31,55,56],{},"do not trust random support messages",[31,58,59],{},"verify every official account and website manually",[17,61,63],{"id":62},"level-2-realistic-scams","Level 2: realistic scams",[10,65,66],{},"These are more dangerous because they often look almost real.",[10,68,26],{},[28,70,71,74,77,80],{},[31,72,73],{},"cloned exchange login pages",[31,75,76],{},"fake wallet apps",[31,78,79],{},"phishing emails that look like official product updates",[31,81,82],{},"fake token airdrops that ask you to connect a wallet",[10,84,45],{},[28,86,87,90,93,96],{},[31,88,89],{},"type important URLs manually or use bookmarks",[31,91,92],{},"install apps only from official sources",[31,94,95],{},"double-check domains before signing in or connecting a wallet",[31,97,98],{},"do not connect your wallet just because a site looks polished",[17,100,102],{"id":101},"level-3-advanced-scams","Level 3: advanced scams",[10,104,105],{},"These are the scams that catch even experienced users.",[10,107,26],{},[28,109,110,113,116,119],{},[31,111,112],{},"wallet-draining approval scams",[31,114,115],{},"fake OTC or recovery services",[31,117,118],{},"long-running romance or investment scams",[31,120,121],{},"malware that swaps wallet addresses in your clipboard",[10,123,45],{},[28,125,126,129,132,135,138],{},[31,127,128],{},"review wallet approvals carefully",[31,130,131],{},"test with small amounts first",[31,133,134],{},"confirm addresses on the receiving device, not only your screen",[31,136,137],{},"use a hardware wallet for meaningful balances",[31,139,140],{},"keep separate wallets for storage and experimentation",[17,142,144],{"id":143},"best-protection-habits","Best protection habits",[146,147,148,161],"table",{},[149,150,151],"thead",{},[152,153,154,158],"tr",{},[155,156,157],"th",{},"Habit",[155,159,160],{},"Why it matters",[162,163,164,173,181,189,197],"tbody",{},[152,165,166,170],{},[167,168,169],"td",{},"Keep long-term holdings in a hardware wallet",[167,171,172],{},"Reduces the chance of losing everything through one bad click",[152,174,175,178],{},[167,176,177],{},"Use separate wallets for spending, testing, and storage",[167,179,180],{},"Limits blast radius if something goes wrong",[152,182,183,186],{},[167,184,185],{},"Bookmark official product sites",[167,187,188],{},"Reduces phishing risk",[152,190,191,194],{},[167,192,193],{},"Slow down before every signature or transfer",[167,195,196],{},"Most scams win by forcing urgency",[152,198,199,202],{},[167,200,201],{},"Treat every message as suspicious until verified",[167,203,204],{},"Impersonation is common in crypto",[17,206,208],{"id":207},"red-flags-that-should-stop-you-immediately","Red flags that should stop you immediately",[28,210,211,214,217,220,223,226],{},[31,212,213],{},"pressure to act fast",[31,215,216],{},"promises of easy profit",[31,218,219],{},"requests for your seed phrase",[31,221,222],{},"links sent in DMs",[31,224,225],{},"a website asking for unusual wallet permissions",[31,227,228],{},"customer support contacting you first",[17,230,232],{"id":231},"final-rule","Final rule",[10,234,235],{},"If something feels rushed, secret, or unusually profitable, slow down and verify it from scratch.",[10,237,238],{},"In crypto, most costly mistakes happen when a user acts too quickly.",[17,240,242],{"id":241},"related-reading","Related reading",[28,244,245,252,258,264],{},[31,246,247],{},[248,249,251],"a",{"href":250},"\u002Fguides\u002Ffake-crypto-wallet-apps-and-how-to-avoid-them","Fake crypto wallet apps and how to avoid them",[31,253,254],{},[248,255,257],{"href":256},"\u002Fguides\u002Fwallet-approval-scams-and-dangerous-permissions","Wallet approval scams and dangerous permissions",[31,259,260],{},[248,261,263],{"href":262},"\u002Fguides\u002Faddress-poisoning-scams-crypto-wallet","Address poisoning scams and how to avoid sending to the wrong wallet",[31,265,266],{},[248,267,269],{"href":268},"\u002Fguides\u002Fseed-phrase-mistakes-that-cost-people-money","Seed phrase mistakes that cost people money",{"title":271,"searchDepth":272,"depth":272,"links":273},"",2,[274,275,276,277,278,279,280],{"id":19,"depth":272,"text":20},{"id":62,"depth":272,"text":63},{"id":101,"depth":272,"text":102},{"id":143,"depth":272,"text":144},{"id":207,"depth":272,"text":208},{"id":231,"depth":272,"text":232},{"id":241,"depth":272,"text":242},"From phishing to wallet drainers - learn the most common crypto scams at every risk level and exactly how to protect yourself.","md",{"publishedAt":284,"updatedAt":284,"localizedVersions":285},"April 8, 2026",[286,289,292],{"label":287,"path":288},"English","\u002Fguides\u002Fcommon-crypto-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them",{"label":290,"path":291},"Español","\u002Fes\u002Fguides\u002Festafas-cripto-comunes-y-como-evitarlas",{"label":293,"path":294},"Deutsch","\u002Fde\u002Fguides\u002Fhaeufige-krypto-betruegereien-und-wie-man-sie-vermeidet",true,{"title":5,"description":281},"guides\u002Fcommon-crypto-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them","FL1DXW7P1jqAyckJAcHNceciWhBr-Mc2clTNrRZg-BQ",1780719476704]