Phishing

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of cyber attack where criminals create fake websites, emails, or messages that impersonate legitimate services to steal your login credentials, private keys, or seed phrases. In crypto, phishing is particularly dangerous because transactions are irreversible.

How Crypto Phishing Works

The Attack Process

1. Attacker creates fake website/email mimicking real service
2. Victim receives link via email, social media, or ads
3. Victim enters credentials on fake site
4. Attacker captures information and drains accounts

Common Phishing Tactics

Fake Websites

• URLs that look similar (binance.com vs b1nance.com)
• Cloned exchange interfaces
• Fake wallet connection sites
• Fraudulent airdrop claim pages

Email Phishing

• “Account security alerts”
• “Verify your identity immediately”
• “Claim your reward”
• “Unusual activity detected”

Social Media

• Fake customer support accounts
• Impersonated influencers
• “Giveaway” scams
• DM attacks on Discord/Telegram

Red Flags to Watch

Warning Sign	What It Means
Urgent language	Pressure to act fast
Misspelled URLs	Fake website
Requests for seed phrase	Always a scam
Unsolicited DMs	Likely fraudulent
Too good to be true	Definitely a scam

How to Protect Yourself

Prevention Steps

1. Bookmark legitimate sites - Never click email links
2. Verify URLs carefully - Check for typos
3. Use hardware wallets - Requires physical confirmation
4. Enable anti-phishing codes - Available on most exchanges
5. Never share seed phrases - No legitimate service asks for this

If You’re Targeted

• Don’t click links in suspicious messages
• Report phishing attempts to the real platform
• Warn community members
• If compromised, move funds immediately

Exchange Anti-Phishing Features

Major exchanges offer protection:

• Binance: Anti-phishing code in emails
• Coinbase: Verified email sender
• Kraken: PGP signed emails

Always verify you’re on the official website before entering any credentials.