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!