Guides
Wallet approval scams and dangerous permissions
A practical guide to wallet approval scams, risky token permissions, and how to slow down before signing something expensive.
A lot of crypto users think the dangerous moment is only when they send funds. In reality, the dangerous moment is often when they sign a transaction or approve token access they do not fully understand.
How approval scams usually work
- a site promises an airdrop, claim, mint, recovery, or urgent fix
- the wallet prompt looks technical and easy to ignore
- the user approves access or signs a malicious message
- the attacker uses that permission to move assets later
What readers should check before signing
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What action am I actually approving? | “Approve” is not harmless by default |
| Is the request expected right now? | Surprise prompts are dangerous |
| Did I reach this site from an official source? | Many scam sites copy real products |
| Is this a test wallet or a storage wallet? | Never experiment from your main vault |
Safer habits
- keep a separate wallet for testing and a separate wallet for long-term storage
- do not connect your main wallet to random sites
- slow down on every approval, signature, and connect prompt
- when in doubt, walk away and verify the project from scratch
Good rule of thumb
If you cannot explain what the approval does, do not sign it.
That single habit prevents a large share of avoidable wallet-drain events.
Related reading
- broader scam guide in Common crypto scams and how to avoid them
- fake app guide in Fake crypto wallet apps and how to avoid them
- backup mistakes in Seed phrase mistakes that cost people money