Security & Anti-Scam
7 Signs You're Talking to Fake Exchange Support
Real support never contacts you first. The 7 standard moves of fake-support scams: unfreezing offers, 'safe accounts', screen sharing, pay-to-withdraw — know the script and you won't fall for it.
One iron rule first: real exchange support never initiates contact via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, or Telegram. Treat every "support reached out to me" scenario as a scam by default, then verify against these seven signs.
1. They contact you first — and know things about you
They may know your name, phone number, even that you just registered somewhere. That only proves your data leaked somewhere; it proves nothing about who they are. Knowing your details ≠ being official.
2. They manufacture panic: "your account is flagged for laundering"
"Account anomaly," "frozen pending investigation," "failure to cooperate will be referred to authorities." The goal is to short-circuit your judgment. Genuine risk notices appear in-app and in official messages, and they never threaten you.
3. They pull you off official channels
"Add us on WhatsApp/Telegram for one-on-one handling." Official support exists only inside the official app and website. Any move to a private messenger is a scam.
4. The "safe account" — the classic harvest move
"To protect your assets, transfer them to the official safe account / custody address." There is no such thing as a safe account. An exchange can freeze assets inside its own system; it never needs you to send coins anywhere.
5. They ask for codes, passwords, or seed phrases
Your 2FA code is the last door to your assets. No official system ever needs you to read a code to an agent. Seed phrases and private keys should never be shared in any scenario.
6. They request screen sharing or software installs
A video call to "assist remotely," or a "security plugin" to install. Everything you type is visible on a shared screen, and the software is malware.
7. Solving your problem requires paying first
"Unfreezing fee," "deposit," "tax," "channel fee" — real platforms never charge upfront fees to handle account issues. Pay once and a second fee will follow.
The correct self-defense
- Hang up / don't reply. You open the official app and contact support yourself to verify.
- Cross-check your account: genuine restrictions come with in-app notices.
- Leaked a code or password? Change the password, reset 2FA, review withdrawal whitelists now.
- Already transferred money? Preserve evidence, report to police, and beware follow-up "recovery services" — the second scam.
Risk note
Educational content only. If your account genuinely is restricted, the proper appeal path is covered in account frozen or restricted — what to do.