Scam patterns: the five scripts that drain wallets
Fake support, poisoned airdrops, lookalike apps, address poisoning, urgency. Recognize the script and the play fails.
1. Fake support
"No official support will ever DM you first." Anyone who does — on any platform — is a thief. They will ask for keys, seed phrases, or a "verification" transaction. Real support never needs any of the three.
2. Poisoned airdrops and NFTs
Unexpected tokens appear in your wallet; interacting with them (selling, claiming, visiting their site) triggers the drain. Ignore and hide unknown assets. Nothing free arrives unsolicited.
3. Lookalike apps and sites
One-letter-off domains, sponsored search results, cloned app-store listings. Install from typed URLs and official listings only — bookmarks beat memory.
4. Address poisoning
Attackers send dust from addresses that mimic yours, hoping you copy the wrong one from history. Always verify full addresses character by character before sending — your wallet shows history, not trust.
5. Manufactured urgency
"Claim in 2 hours", "your funds are at risk, migrate now." Urgency exists to switch off verification. Any message that rushes you is the attack — slow down on purpose.
Risk note: cryptocurrency trading, leveraged perpetual futures, and automated algorithmic strategies carry significant risk of rapid and total financial loss. Never risk funds you cannot afford to lose completely. Nothing in this lesson is investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to sell any product.
Checklist
- I verify every URL by typing it myself
- I never trust unsolicited tokens, DMs, or support contacts