On February 8, Scam Sniffer released its January 2026 Crypto Security Report, revealing that a user lost $12.25 million after copying an incorrect wallet address from transaction history and mistakenly transferring funds to an attacker.
This was not an isolated incident. In December 2025, another user lost approximately $50 million after copying a forged address embedded in manipulated transaction records. Security researchers classify this method as Address Poisoning, where attackers send small transactions to mimic legitimate history and trick users into copying malicious addresses.
Sharp Increase in Signature Phishing Attacks
Beyond address poisoning, Signature Phishing attacks rose significantly in January 2026, with data showing:
- 4,741 victims
- Around $6.27 million in total losses
- A 207% month-over-month increase compared with December 2025
- These attacks typically involve fake websites or malicious DApps that lure users into signing authorization requests. Because no direct transfer is required, victims often fail to recognize the risk until assets are compromised.
Attack Methods Becoming More Sophisticated
Security researchers note that crypto scams are becoming increasingly targeted and covert, including:
- Forging realistic transaction histories using on-chain data
- Imitating well-known project interfaces to induce authorization
- Distributing phishing links via social media and private messages
- Leveraging AI-generated content to enhance credibility
- With the barrier to entry for attack tools decreasing, both retail users and professional traders are now frequent targets.
Risk Prevention Measures and Industry Responses
Industry participants emphasize that beyond user education, continuous on-chain behavior monitoring is becoming essential. Some institutions deploy tools such as Trustformer KYT to identify suspicious address relationships, fraud fund flows, and abnormal interactions, enabling proactive risk alerts and improved compliance monitoring.
For individual users, security agencies recommend:
- Avoid copying addresses directly from transaction history
- Use address whitelists or label verification
- Carefully review unknown signing requests
- Enable risk alerts through hardware wallets or security extensions
Conclusion
From address poisoning to signature phishing, crypto fraud tactics continue to evolve rapidly. As user adoption and transaction frequency grow, security awareness and risk management capabilities are becoming critical infrastructure for participation in the crypto ecosystem.