Fake Crypto Support Scams: Telegram, WhatsApp and Search Ads

Every variation of this scam breaks one of those three rules. If any of them happens, end the conversation and report the account.

1. 1You ask a question in a public Telegram or WhatsApp group, or search for an exchange's support line.
2. 2An account with an official-looking name and logo messages you privately, or a fake 'support' website appears in search results or ads.
3. 3The fake agent asks you to 'verify' your wallet by entering a seed phrase on a linked site, sharing a screen, installing an app, or paying a refundable fee.
4. 4Once they have your credentials, seed phrase or a payment, the account is drained or the 'agent' disappears.

• A support account that messages you first, especially after you post in a public group.
• Usernames that imitate official handles with small changes — extra letters, underscores or 'helpdesk' suffixes.
• Requests for your seed phrase, private key, password, PIN or one-time codes, for any stated reason.
• Requests to install screen-sharing or remote-access apps, or to 'synchronise' or 'validate' your wallet on a website.
• Any fee described as refundable: verification fee, unlocking fee, tax or anti-money-laundering deposit.
• Pressure and urgency — claims that your account will be frozen or funds lost unless you act now.

1. 1Open the provider's official app, or type its website address yourself. Do not follow links from messages, group posts or search ads.
2. 2Use the help or support section inside the official app or site. Check whether the provider publishes a way to verify official channels — Binance, for example, offers an official verification tool for accounts and links.
3. 3Describe the problem and keep the ticket or case reference. Real support processes can be slow; slowness is not a reason to accept help from a stranger.
4. 4For a P2P order problem, use the marketplace's in-order appeal or dispute button rather than any external contact.

1. 1Stop all contact and do not send any further payment, whatever the promised refund.
2. 2Change the passwords of the affected exchange, wallet and email accounts, and sign out other sessions.
3. 3If you exposed a seed phrase or private key, move the remaining funds to a completely new wallet immediately — the old one is compromised permanently.
4. 4Report the scam account to Telegram or WhatsApp, and report the incident to the real platform through its official channel.
5. 5For significant losses, report to the police with your evidence: usernames, phone numbers, wallet addresses and transaction references.

Fake support often targets people mid-trade. Review P2P safety basics and the romance and pig-butchering guide, which uses similar trust-building tactics.

Official guidance checked on 20 October 2026. This is general fraud-prevention information, not a claim about a specific incident.

• OKX: Private-key leakage scams — official warning about fake support agents requesting seed phrases.
• MetaMask: Recognise the real MetaMask — how impersonation works across websites, emails and social profiles.