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Heads up: The CLARITY Act is not law. Statuses are rules-based estimates from public evidence, not legal or financial advice.

Scam & red-flag checker

Common crypto scam patterns, from official FBI, FTC, SEC and CFTC warnings, and a quick check for fake token contracts. Last updated Oct 19, 2026.

At a glance

Check before you send, sign or connect
  • Reported crypto losses (FBI, 2025)More than $11 billion
  • Crypto-related complaints181,565
  • Scam patterns explained6
  • Contract checkTop 100 official contracts
Never share your seed phrase or private key with anyone, any website, any "support agent" or any app that asks for it, ClarityCheck included. Americans who reported crypto-related complaints to the FBI in 2025 lost more than $11 billion (181,565 complaints). FBI: 2025 Internet Crime Report ↗

Is this the official token contract?

Paste a token contract address (EVM 0x…, Solana mint, Tron, etc.). We compare it with the official contracts listed for the top 100 tokens we track. Runs in your browser; nothing is sent or stored.

Official contracts come from CoinGecko's coin listings (third-party, checked Oct 19, 2026). Always confirm on the issuer's own website. A match doesn't make a token safe or a good investment.

Impersonation

Red flags & what to do

  1. How it works

    Scammers pose as exchanges, wallet support, celebrities, government agencies (including the SEC and FBI) or people you know, often via text, social media or fake websites.

  2. Red flags
    • No real company or agency will ask for your seed phrase, or ask you to move crypto to 'protect' it.
    • Unsolicited contact plus urgency is the classic pattern.
  3. What to do
    • Verify through the official website or phone number you look up yourself.

SEC Investor Alert: SEC impersonators ↗ · FBI: scammers impersonating the IC3 ↗ · FTC: cryptocurrency scams ↗

Fake tokens with the same ticker

Red flags & what to do

  1. How it works

    Anyone can create a token called 'USDT' or 'USDC'. FBI Denver warns criminals send impersonation tokens (often fake stablecoins) to build trust or to trick you into copying a lookalike address ('address poisoning').

  2. Red flags
    • Tokens that appear in your wallet unexpectedly are a warning sign.
  3. What to do
    • Check the full contract address, not just the name or ticker. Use the checker below.
    • Compare the whole address you're sending to, not just the first and last characters.

FBI Denver: token impersonation scam ↗

Approval drainers

Red flags & what to do

  1. How it works

    A fake site (airdrop, mint, 'claim', support page) asks you to connect your wallet and sign a transaction. The signature gives a malicious contract permission to move your tokens.

  2. Red flags
    • Read what a signature allows before approving; 'unlimited' approvals are risky.
  3. What to do
    • Don't connect your wallet to sites reached from ads, DMs or unexpected airdrops.
    • Revoke old approvals with a reputable tool and keep large holdings in a separate wallet.

FBI IC3: fake NFT developers & drainer contracts ↗ · FBI IC3: cryptocurrency ↗

'Recovery' scams

Red flags & what to do

  1. How it works

    After a loss, victims are contacted by fake law firms, 'blockchain investigators' or even fake government agencies promising to recover the funds for a fee.

  2. Red flags
    • Law enforcement doesn't charge victims to investigate.
    • The FBI and IC3 won't contact you asking for money or refer you to a paid recovery company.
  3. What to do
    • Report the original scam at ic3.gov instead.

FBI IC3: fictitious law firms (2025) ↗ · FBI IC3: recovery scams (2024) ↗

Pig butchering (relationship investment scams)

Red flags & what to do

  1. How it works

    Someone builds a friendship or romance online, then introduces a 'can't-lose' crypto platform. Early 'profits' on a fake dashboard encourage bigger deposits; withdrawals are blocked or need 'fees' or 'taxes'.

  2. Red flags
    • Be wary of anyone you've never met who talks about investing.
    • Moving the chat to a private app and showing screenshots of big gains are red flags.
  3. What to do
    • If you can't withdraw without paying more first, stop and report it.

CFTC: relationship investment scams ↗ · CFTC: warning signs of romance frauds ↗

'Guaranteed' high yield

Red flags & what to do

  1. How it works

    Promises of fixed, high daily or monthly returns, referral bonuses and pressure to recruit others are hallmarks of Ponzi-style schemes.

  2. Red flags
    • Real yield varies and can go to zero.
  3. What to do
    • See the Yield safety check for how legitimate yield works.

SEC Investor Alert: crypto asset scams ↗

Report a scam (US)

Questions

How do I know if a token contract is real?

Compare the full contract address with the issuer's official website and a reputable listing. Our checker compares a pasted address with the official contracts listed for the top 100 tokens. A match doesn't mean a token is safe, only that the address belongs to the listed token.

Where do I report a crypto scam?

In the US, report to the FBI at ic3.gov, the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the SEC at sec.gov/tcr or the CFTC at cftc.gov/complaint. Report it to the exchange involved too.

Will ClarityCheck ever ask for my seed phrase?

Never. No legitimate service needs your seed phrase or private key.

Not legal, financial or investment advice. The CLARITY Act is not law. Facts are from the linked sources as checked on Oct 19, 2026; please tell us if anything is out of date.