Address Poisoning Attack
Attackers send tiny transactions from an address that closely resembles your real contact's address, hoping you'll copy the wrong address from your transaction history when sending funds.
How This Scam Works
Scammers monitor the blockchain for your transactions and create a wallet address that matches the first and last few characters of an address you frequently interact with. They then send you a tiny amount (often 0 or near-0 tokens) from this lookalike address. When you check your transaction history and copy an address to send funds, you might accidentally copy the scammer's similar-looking address instead of the real one. Since most people only check the first and last few characters, the funds go to the attacker.
Red Flags to Watch For
- Unexpected small incoming transactions from unknown addresses
- An address in your history that looks almost identical to a regular contact
- Transaction amounts of exactly 0 or tiny fractions of a token
- Multiple similar-looking addresses appearing in your recent history
Common Phrases Scammers Use
“There are no verbal phrases — this is a silent, technical attack”
“Attackers rely on human error when copying addresses”
“The poisoned transactions appear as normal transfers in your history”
What to Do Right Now
- 1Always verify the COMPLETE address character by character before sending
- 2Use an address book or saved contacts feature in your wallet
- 3Send a small test transaction first when sending to any address
- 4Use ENS names or address labels instead of raw addresses when possible
- 5If you sent to a poisoned address, report it to the blockchain explorer
What NOT to Do
- Never copy addresses from transaction history without full verification
- Do not rely on checking only the first and last few characters
- Do not rush large transfers — always double-check the full address
- Do not panic about small incoming transactions — they cannot harm your wallet
How to Report It
- Etherscan Address Poisoning Report — via Etherscan contact form
- FBI IC3
- Your wallet provider's support team
Frequently Asked Questions
How common are address poisoning attack scams?+
Can I get my money back after falling for a address poisoning attack scam?+
How do I know if a message is legitimate?+
What should I do if someone I know is being targeted by a address poisoning attack scam?+
This information is for educational awareness only. It does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. If you have been the victim of a scam, contact law enforcement and consider consulting a licensed attorney.
Quick Facts
- Severity
- High Severity
- Category
- Technical Exploit
- Prevalence
- Common
- Who Is Targeted
- Active DeFi users, anyone who regularly sends crypto, users who copy addresses from transaction history
- Red Flags
- 4 identified
Need Help Now?
If you are being scammed right now, stop all contact and payments immediately.