Safety
Crypto hack and scam tracker
The scams that are spreading now, and the hacks worth learning from. Each one links to the lesson that would have protected you. Reviewed .
In 2024 the FBI received reports of about $9.3 billion in crypto-related fraud losses in the US alone. (FBI IC3 2024 report)
Scams spreading now on WhatsApp and Telegram
"Task" job scam
A stranger offers paid work: liking videos or rating hotels. You get small payouts, then must "deposit USDT" to unlock bigger tasks. The money never comes back.
Telegram
Fake "VIP signal" group
A group promises sure trades or pump calls for a fee. Early "wins" are staged screenshots. Insiders sell to the members who buy.
Fake investment club
You are added to a group with a "professor" and happy members (often bots). They push you to an app or site you have never heard of.
Telegram
Fake support agent
You post a problem and "support" messages you first. They ask for your seed phrase or to "verify" your wallet on a link.
Dating apps / WhatsApp
Pig butchering
A friendly contact builds trust for weeks, then shows you their "trading profits" and a platform to join.
Any
Recovery scam
After a loss, someone offers to get your money back for an upfront fee. Real police and lawyers never ask for crypto.
Social ads
Deepfake celebrity ad
A video of a famous person or news anchor "reveals" a crypto platform. The video is fake.
Any
Wallet drainer link
A free airdrop or NFT mint asks you to connect and sign. The signature gives away permission to empty your wallet.
The one rule that stops most of them
Nobody legitimate will ever ask for your seed phrase, ask you to pay to unlock a withdrawal, or rush you. If any of those happen, stop and check our scam red-flag check.
Major hacks and what they teach
| Date | Who | What happened | The lesson | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binance (exchange) | Early reports put the loss near $6.3 billion. Investigators link it to North Korean hackers. The story is still developing. | Withdrawals and markets can freeze fast. Know who holds your keys. Lesson | Cointelegraph, Oct 2026 | |
| Bybit (exchange) | About $1.5 billion in ether taken from a cold wallet during a routine transfer. The FBI attributed it to North Korean hackers. | Even big exchanges get hacked. Coins on an exchange are an IOU from that company. Lesson | FBI IC3 alert | |
| WazirX (India exchange) | About $230 million drained from a multisig wallet. Withdrawals were frozen for users in India for months. | Multisig helps, but only if every signer checks what they sign. Lesson | Wikipedia, WazirX | |
| Ronin bridge (Axie Infinity) | About $625 million taken after attackers got control of most validator keys. | Bridges hold huge pools of coins, which makes them targets. Lesson | Wikipedia, Ronin Network | |
| Poly Network (bridge) | About $611 million taken through a smart-contract flaw. Most of it was returned. | Code bugs can move money no one meant to move. Lesson | Wikipedia, Poly Network exploit |
Where to report a scam
- United States: FBI IC3 and FTC ReportFraud
- India: call 1930 or file at cybercrime.gov.in
- Mexico: CONDUSEF and the national emergency line 088 (cyber police)
- Colombia: CAI Virtual, Policía Nacional
Something here wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it on the corrections log. More patterns: scam library.
Education only. Not investment advice. We do not pick coins.