Quickly Identify Scams¶
Scams change their story, not their mechanics. Learn the six signals below, and stop at the first one before the step that costs money.
Who this is for¶
Anyone who wants one page to consult before acting on a message, a site, or a signature request. If a signal applies, follow the linked guide for that pattern.
How the scam works¶
Most scams run the same sequence: contact, trust, urgency, then one irreversible action. The story may be an airdrop, a job, a support case, or a friend in trouble. The last step is always something you cannot undo: a transfer, a signature, an approval, or a phrase typed into a page.
You do not need to name the scam to refuse the action. You need to recognize that the request has moved from talking to taking. That shift, not the story, is the signal.
Warning signs¶
- Urgency. A deadline in minutes, an account about to be frozen, an allocation that expires today.
- A secret request. Recovery phrase, private key, keystore file, wallet password, or a two-factor code. No legitimate request needs any of them.
- Guaranteed returns. A fixed daily percentage, "risk-free" arbitrage, or a promise to multiply BTG.
- An unrequested airdrop or NFT. It arrives, then a site or a message tells you to claim, swap, or validate it.
- "Validate", "sync", "upgrade", or "migrate" your wallet. These words make a wallet action sound like maintenance.
- A changed detail in a familiar place. An address in your history that differs by a few characters, or payment details that change at the last minute.
If it happens to you¶
Stop, then verify. One signal is enough to pause. Close the page, end the call, or dismiss the message, then check the claim through a second channel you opened yourself: the official site typed into the address bar, the wallet's own screen, or a person you already know.
- Do not send, sign, approve, or reveal anything while you are being hurried.
- Check the exact domain, address, or contract against a source you opened independently.
- If the request involves a signature, read what it authorizes. If you cannot explain it, refuse it.
- If you already acted, move quickly: disconnect, revoke, and move remaining funds. Then read Theft Prevention.
Next steps¶
- Common Fraud Cases — the map of patterns behind these signals.
- Phishing Website Scam — the domain check in detail.
- Theft Prevention — what to do after an action you regret.
Self-check¶
- Can you name the six signals without scrolling up?
- Have you decided what you will never type into a website?
- Would one signal be enough for you to pause?
- Can you reach the official site without a link someone sent you?