Binance Issues Warning Over 'Address Poisoning' Crypto Scam

In a recent post, major crypto exchange Binance explains the address poisoning trap. Not every crypto scam is a hack, says Binance.

Address poisoning attacks rely on lookalike wallet addresses and human error. One copy-paste mistake can send funds to a scammer, and blockchain transactions are not reversible.

Not every crypto scam involves hacking.

Address poisoning attacks rely on lookalike wallet addresses and human error. A single copy-paste mistake can send funds to a scammer — and blockchain transactions can't be reversed.

Learn how address poisoning works and how to protect…

— Binance (@binance) September 26, 2026

Address poisoning is one of the more subtle scams in crypto, as the attacker doesn't have to hack the victim's wallet or steal the private keys. They simply wait for the victim to make a mistake when copying an address.

In this crypto wallet scam, the attackers send small transactions from fake addresses that look similar to addresses victims generally send to, hoping to confuse an unsuspecting user who copies the wrong address. Scammers can use automated tools to generate wallet addresses matching the first and last few characters of legitimate addresses, taking advantage of the way wallets display shortened addresses.