5 signs an airdrop is a scam

1. It asks for your seed phrase or private key

No legitimate airdrop, project, exchange or support agent will ever need your recovery phrase. Anyone who has it controls your wallet. If a site or person asks for it, stop — it is a scam, every time.

2. You found the link in a DM, a reply or an ad

Scammers copy project branding and post look-alike links in replies under official posts, in private messages, and in paid search ads. Get links only from the project's official website or verified accounts, and check the address bar letter by letter.

3. The transaction asks for permissions you cannot explain

Many wallet drainers do not steal your password — they get you to sign an approval. Requests to approve unlimited spending of a token, to give an app control over all your NFTs, or to sign a message you cannot read are major red flags.

If your wallet shows a warning, read it. If you do not understand what you are signing, do not sign it.

4. There is a countdown or pressure to act now

"Only 10 minutes left to claim" is designed to stop you from thinking. Real airdrops usually have claim windows of days or weeks and are announced in advance.

5. You must send money first

Being asked to pay a "gas fee", "unlock fee" or "verification deposit" to an address in order to receive free tokens is a classic advance-fee scam. Unknown tokens that suddenly appear in your wallet with a website in their name are often bait for the same trick — do not interact with them.

How to protect yourself

• Use a separate wallet with a small balance for claiming airdrops and trying new apps.
• Keep long-term holdings in a wallet that never connects to unfamiliar sites.
• Review and revoke old token approvals from time to time with your wallet or a block explorer's approval checker.
• When in doubt, wait. A real opportunity will still be there after you have checked it.