Airdrop Scams — How to Protect Yourself

Overview

Fake airdrops are one of the most common crypto scam vectors. Learn to identify malicious token approvals, phishing sites, dust attacks, and wallet drainers disguised as airdrops. Our crypto security hub provides deeper guidance on wallet safety, hardware wallets, and operational security practices. Store your assets safely using the setups recommended in our wallet guides. If you're actively farming, combine this guide with our airdrop farming strategy to stay profitable while staying safe.

Key Takeaways

• Legitimate airdrops NEVER ask you to send money first, connect your wallet to unverified sites, or share seed phrases.
• Dust attacks: scammers send worthless tokens to your wallet — interacting with them can trigger malicious approvals.
• Fake airdrop claim sites mimic real protocol interfaces — always access through official links only.
• Unlimited token approvals on malicious contracts can drain your entire wallet in seconds.

Practical Tips

• Verify airdrop claims ONLY through official protocol Twitter/Discord/website — never from DMs or ads.
• Use Revoke.cash to check and revoke suspicious token approvals regularly.
• Never interact with random tokens that appear in your wallet — ignore unknown airdrops completely.