Spot the crypto scam before you hit send
Crypto scams increasingly target people, not blockchains. Recent malware can infect Windows via USB, watch the clipboard, swap copied wallet addresses, and steal seed phrases or private keys. This works by manipulating what the user sees, not by breaking crypto. Major scam patterns include fake investment platforms built through long social-engineering chats, bogus support accounts and compensation forms, fake airdrops that trick users into granting token permissions, address poisoning with lookalike wallet addresses, and “secret bonus” or loophole claims that require installing an extension or running a script that redirects deposits. Losses are massive: U.S. crypto fraud reports hit $11.37 billion in 2025. The main defense is to slow down and verify actions inside official apps or on a separate hardware wallet screen. Treat hidden shortcuts, urgent DMs, and too-good-to-be-true offers as warning signs, not opportunities.
