Protect the accounts that control access to your crypto, use the strongest multi-factor authentication (MFA) available, and verify every investment pitch and recipient address independently before sending money. If you suspect fraud, stop sending funds, preserve evidence, and report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). No wallet, security key, or other product can guarantee protection from a scam or from a transaction you authorize.
Start with the accounts that can unlock your crypto
An exchange account may be protected by your email account’s password-reset process. If an attacker takes over either account, they may be able to disrupt or gain access to your crypto account. Use a different, strong password for every critical account, and enable MFA on both your exchange and linked email account.
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Choose the strongest MFA the service supports
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) identifies phishing-resistant MFA, including FIDO/WebAuthn security keys, as the strongest option. A security key can help prevent a fake website from capturing authentication. CISA’s guidance also supports preferring number-matching app MFA over authenticator codes, with SMS and email codes weaker options. Actual choices depend on what your exchange and email provider support.
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| MFA option | What to know | Practical choice |
|---|---|---|
| FIDO/WebAuthn security key | Phishing-resistant; supported only where the service offers it. The physical key must work with your devices. | Prefer it when both the service and your devices support it. CISA names a physical key such as YubiKey as an example. |
| Number-matching app prompt | Stronger than simply approving an unexpected sign-in prompt, but not the same as phishing-resistant MFA. | Use it if a security key is unavailable and the service offers number matching. |
| Authenticator code | A one-time code can still be exposed if you enter it on a fraudulent site or disclose it to someone. | Use it when stronger supported options are unavailable. |
| SMS or email code | CISA’s guidance places these below security keys and app-based options. | Use only if stronger methods are not offered; protect the account receiving the code. |
A physical security key is an optional way to protect supported sign-ins, not a crypto wallet. It does not protect a self-custody seed phrase, verify a smart contract, or stop you from sending crypto to a scammer. Check service support and device compatibility before buying one. Follow CISA’s MFA guidance for more on choosing authentication methods.
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- Never approve a sign-in prompt you did not initiate.
- Do not give a one-time code to a caller or message sender, even if they claim to be support.
- If you think an account is compromised, change its password from a clean device and contact the provider through independently verified official support.
Protect a self-custody wallet differently from an exchange account
With an exchange account, the provider manages the signing keys for assets held there; with self-custody, you control access through the wallet’s private key or recovery phrase. That shifts the main risk: account takeover can threaten an exchange login, while loss or disclosure of a self-custody recovery phrase can expose the wallet. The account MFA steps above do not secure a seed phrase.
- Never share a seed phrase or private key with anyone, including someone claiming to be customer support.
- Use the wallet’s own official support channels if you need help, and do not follow instructions from an unsolicited message.
- Before using a wallet or signing a transaction, check that the asset and network are the ones you intend to use. A hardware wallet is not a universal defense against scams or an incorrect transaction.
Spot investment pitches designed to build trust
In cryptocurrency investment fraud, a scammer may first establish a relationship, then steer the target to a fake investment platform that displays apparent gains. A polished app or website does not prove that a platform is legitimate. The FBI warns about unsolicited approaches, suspicious domains and apps, and fraudsters who build confidence before asking for crypto deposits.
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Warning signs to stop on
- An unsolicited contact turns into investment advice or a request to move the conversation to private messaging.
- The pitch promises unusually high or guaranteed returns, or pressures you to act quickly.
- A platform shows gains but demands more money—such as a supposed tax or withdrawal fee—before you can take funds out.
- Someone offers to recover lost crypto in exchange for an advance payment or promises a guaranteed recovery.
Check a company and platform using contact details and sources you find independently. Do not rely on links, phone numbers, apps, or instructions supplied by the person pitching the investment. If a platform demands extra money to release a displayed balance, do not send it. The FBI’s cryptocurrency investment fraud guidance advises victims to stop sending money and warns that recovery claims can be another scam.
Check the complete address before sending crypto
Address poisoning exploits the way people use transaction history. A scammer may send an impersonation token or use an address designed to resemble one you recognize, hoping you will copy it for a later transfer. Wallet interfaces often truncate addresses; matching the visible beginning and ending does not establish that the full address is correct.
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- Get the recipient address from a trusted source, such as a channel you have independently verified with the recipient.
- Compare the complete address, not just the shortened characters shown in a wallet or exchange screen.
- Confirm the network and asset as well as the address before approving the transfer.
- Do not choose a recipient from recent transaction history without checking it against the trusted source.
The FBI’s address-poisoning warning explains how lookalike addresses and impersonation tokens can make a malicious destination appear familiar.
Recognize pressure to use a Bitcoin ATM
A caller or message may impersonate a government agency, business, or technical-support team and tell you to deposit cash at a Bitcoin ATM using a QR code to “protect” your money or fix an account problem. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that no legitimate government agency or business will direct you to deposit cash at a Bitcoin ATM for those reasons. Stop and contact the organization using a number or website you find independently.
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What reported losses show—and what they do not
Official figures illustrate the scale of reported fraud, but they are not a count of every incident or a prediction of what an individual will lose. The FBI’s September 10, 2024 announcement of its 2023 Cryptocurrency Fraud Report described more than $5.6 billion in cryptocurrency-related reported losses and about 69,000 public complaints. The FTC reported more than $65 million in Bitcoin ATM scam losses in the first half of 2024, with a median reported loss of $10,000. Separately, FTC data released in 2025 said consumers reported more than $12.5 billion lost to fraud in 2024, including $5.7 billion to investment scams; those totals cover fraud broadly, not crypto alone.
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What to do if you suspect a scam or account compromise
- Stop sending money. Do not pay purported taxes, unlock fees, withdrawal charges, or recovery fees.
- Secure potentially compromised accounts. Contact your exchange or wallet provider through independently verified official support channels. From a clean device, change affected passwords and secure the linked email account. Do not share your seed phrase or private key with support.
- Save the evidence. Keep messages, phone numbers, email addresses, usernames, websites, receipts, dates, amounts, wallet addresses, and transaction IDs or hashes.
- Report the incident. Submit a report to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov and follow applicable local law-enforcement and consumer-reporting routes. Include transaction and contact details where possible.
- Be wary of follow-up offers. Treat unsolicited recovery firms, guaranteed recovery claims, and demands for advance payment as possible additional scams.
Filing a report does not guarantee that funds can be recovered. The FBI’s victim guidance explains what information to provide and cautions about recovery-service claims.
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