Phishing
A scam where attackers impersonate legitimate services to trick you into revealing passwords, seed phrases, or approving malicious transactions.
Phishing is the number one way people lose crypto. Attacks come through fake emails, fake websites, fake support accounts on social media, and malicious links in Discord or Telegram. The goal is to get you to enter your seed phrase, connect your wallet to a malicious site, or sign a transaction that drains your funds.
Common crypto phishing tactics: fake "security alert" emails from exchanges, fake airdrops requiring wallet connection, impersonators offering "support" who ask for your seed phrase, and lookalike URLs (usdcr.org instead of usdc.org).
Protection: never share your seed phrase with anyone, ever. Bookmark the real URLs for exchanges and services. Don't click links in emails or DMs. If something seems urgent or too good to be true, it's probably a scam.
Related Terms
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
A security method requiring two different forms of verification to access an account, like a password plus a code from your phone.
Seed Phrase (Recovery Phrase)
A set of 12 or 24 words that can restore your crypto wallet and all its private keys. Also called a recovery phrase or mnemonic.
Private Key
A secret cryptographic code that proves ownership of a blockchain address and authorizes transactions.
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This definition is provided for educational purposes. USDC.org is an independent resource and is not affiliated with Circle Internet Financial.