Blog: crypto scam patterns and wallet safety, answered
Updated
What this is: one question per post, answered in the first paragraph, then explained with dated links to primary sources: the FBI's IC3, the FTC, FinCEN, CISA, Chainalysis and wallet makers' own help pages. These are help pages, so none of them carry affiliate links.
Posts
- Address poisoning: how lookalike addresses steal crypto, and the 60-second fixWhat is address poisoning, and how do I avoid sending crypto to a lookalike address? · Last updated Oct 2026
- Wallet drainers and token approvals: what you signed, and how to revoke itHow do wallet drainers steal crypto through token approvals, and how do I revoke them? · Last updated Oct 2026
- Pig-butchering scams: the warning signs, stage by stageWhat is a pig-butchering scam, and how do I spot one before I send money? · Last updated Oct 2026
- Fake crypto support: how impersonators reach you, and the one rule that stops themIs that really wallet support? How do I spot a fake crypto support agent? · Last updated Oct 2026
- Seed phrase phishing: why no real site ever asks for your recovery phraseShould I ever type my seed phrase into a website or app? How does seed phrase phishing work? · Last updated Oct 2026
- Crypto recovery scams: why "we can get your money back" is usually the second scamCan anyone recover stolen crypto for a fee? How do crypto recovery scams work? · Last updated Oct 2026
- Airdrop and "claim" scams: why the free tokens in your wallet are baitIs that free airdrop safe to claim? How do airdrop and claim scams drain wallets? · Last updated Oct 2026
- Hardware wallet setup: a safe, step-by-step checklistHow do I set up a hardware wallet safely? · Last updated Oct 2026
How we write these
- The answer comes first, in plain English. The detail and the sources come after it.
- Each post links to the primary source for every claim and shows the date we read it.
- No coin calls, no exchange referrals, and no affiliate links on scam or help pages. See disclosures.
- Each post shows a "Last updated" date. When we change a fact, we log it in the post's changelog.
Data we use often: FBI IC3 2025 crypto complaints and losses by state (CSV), copied from pages 57–58 of the 2025 IC3 Annual Report.
Looking for something happening right now? See the scam tracker.