How to Spot and Avoid Phishing Attacks
1. What Is Phishing in Crypto?
Phishing attacks trick users into revealing sensitive information—like wallet seed phrases or private keys—by mimicking legitimate websites, emails, or messages. In 2024, phishing accounted for over $2.6 billion in crypto losses, making it the most common scam type (Chainalysis, 2025). Scammers often create fake sites (e.g., “metamaskk.io” instead of “metamask.io”) to steal your assets.
2. How Phishing Works
Phishers exploit trust and haste:
- Fake Websites: URLs that look real but have subtle typos or extra characters.
- Social Engineering: Messages on X or Discord claiming “urgent wallet verification” or “free airdrops.”
- Malicious Links: Clicking leads to a site that prompts you to connect your wallet or enter your seed phrase.
Once you interact, your funds can be drained instantly—blockchain transactions are irreversible.
3. Spotting Phishing Attacks
Look for these red flags:
- URL Mismatches: Check the domain—e.g., “uniswap.org” is legit, but “uniswqp.org” isn’t.
- Unsolicited Requests: No legit project asks for your seed phrase or private key.
- Too Good to Be True: “Double your ETH” offers are scams 99% of the time.
- No HTTPS: Legit sites use secure connections—check the padlock in your browser.
4. Avoiding Phishing with BlockGuardian
BlockGuardian helps you stay safe:
- Website Checker: Visit blockguardian.xyz, enter a URL, and get instant feedback—e.g., “Suspicious” if it’s a known scam.
- Extension Alerts: Our Chrome and Firefox extensions warn you on phishing sites with a popup: “⚠️ This URL looks similar to uniswap.org but isn’t exact.”
- Smart Detection: Uses Levenshtein distance to catch typosquatting—e.g., flagging “metamaskk.io” as risky.
- Community Reports: Submit suspicious URLs via our scam report form to protect others.
Steps:
- Install the BlockGuardian extension (Chrome/Firefox—email [email protected] for links).
- Enable “Phishing Detection” in the popup.
- Browse safely—BlockGuardian flags risks before you act.
5. Extra Tips
- Bookmark Legit Sites: Save “uniswap.org” or “metamask.io” to avoid typing errors.
- Verify Sources: Check X handles or Discord roles—scammers fake identities.
- Use a Separate Email: Avoid linking your crypto wallet to your main email.
- Double-Check: If unsure, use BlockGuardian’s URL checker before connecting your wallet.
6. Conclusion
Phishing thrives on deception, but with vigilance and BlockGuardian, you can stay ahead. Explore our Whitepaper for more on crypto scams, and join us in making the space safer—report phishing attempts via our form.