Every morning in the office starts the same way, I would like to say, but today was different. As a person who has been in the crypto industry for a long time, I thought I was well versed in security issues, but even experienced crypto people can fall into the phishing trap.
And then, in the morning, I received an email that looked completely legitimate. The headline was intriguing: ‘Your account has been blocked, please check it immediately.’ I knew that such messages are often used by scammers, but something inside me made me click on the link. I hoped it was just a technical error.
Once I got to the page that looked like the real website of one of the popular cryptocurrency exchanges, I entered my details. Only a few minutes later, when I realised something was wrong, it was too late. My crypto assets were gone, and my account was compromised.
This incident made me think about how easy it is to become a victim of phishing, even with extensive experience in the crypto sphere. I decided that it was worth sharing this experience with others so that everyone could avoid my mistake.
So, here are some tips that can save you:
- Check the spelling of domains before entering your details
- Use strong and unique passwords
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Do not click on suspicious links
Signs that indicate the email is fraudulent:
- The message contains misspelled URLs
- The email asks you to provide or confirm personal information, such as bank details or a password
- The email is written with spelling or grammatical errors
- In addition, some companies, such as Binance, WhiteBIT, KuCoin, have an additional method of verifying the authenticity of an email with the help of the ‘Anti-Phising’ feature, which signals that the email came from these companies. In addition, WhiteBIT has launched a Halloween promotion where users can fight a phishing monster.
Remember: one careless click can cost more than you think. Be vigilant and careful in the online space!
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