Is that text, call or letter really from Coinbase? Real examples of Coinbase scams
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Short answer: Treat any Coinbase text, call, email or letter you didn't ask for as a scam until you check inside the Coinbase app yourself. Coinbase says it will never call you out of the blue, ask you to call an unknown number, or ask you to move funds to a new wallet or vault. (Coinbase; Coinbase blog)
What this covers: Coinbase scam texts, calls, emails and letters: real examples from sheriff's offices and Coinbase's own warnings, how to tell a real Coinbase message from a fake one channel by channel, why a caller who knows your address and balance still isn't Coinbase, and what to do in the next minute. Who it's for: you, if a "Coinbase" text says a withdrawal code was sent or someone logged in, a "Coinbase security" caller says your account is at risk, or a letter or email asks you to verify, migrate or call a number, including if it happened to a parent. What it isn't: Coinbase support or a recovery service. We can't contact Coinbase for you, we don't refer anyone to exchanges, and only you can lock your account from inside the app.
Key facts
- Coinbase says it "will never call you out of the blue" and will never ask for your password, verification codes or remote access to your device. (Coinbase, Apr 8, 2025)
- Coinbase says it will never call or text you to give you a new seed phrase or wallet address to move your funds to, and "will never ask you to contact an unknown number to reach us." (Coinbase Help)
- To report a scam text, copy it and forward it to 7726 (SPAM), then report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. (FTC; Coinbase Help)
- In May 2025, Coinbase disclosed that paid-off support contractors outside the US copied customer data, including names, addresses, the last 4 digits of Social Security numbers and balance snapshots, to build a list to contact "while pretending to be Coinbase." (SEC 8-K; Coinbase)
- In 2025, Americans filed 17,355 tech or customer support complaints involving crypto with the FBI's IC3, reporting $1.23 billion in losses. (FBI IC3 2025 report)
Got a "Coinbase" message right now? Do this in the next minute
- Don't reply, tap the link, or call the number in the message. Treat it as phishing. (FTC; Coinbase Help)
- On a call? Hang up. You can't trust caller ID. Scammers can spoof a company's real number. (Coinbase, 2018; FCC)
- Open the Coinbase app you already have, or type coinbase.com yourself, and check whether any action is actually needed. (Coinbase Help)
- If anything looks off, lock your account in the app: menu → Account & settings → Security → Lock Account. Locking signs out every device and stops transfers. (Coinbase Help)
- Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) and send a screenshot to [email protected]. (FTC; Coinbase Help)
Real Coinbase scam examples: texts, calls, emails and letters
Each example is recreated from a public alert or Coinbase warning, with numbers and web addresses masked. The same rules apply to any exchange.
Coinbase scam texts: "withdrawal code," "unauthorized login," "transfer suspended"
A Coinbase scam text reports a withdrawal, login or transfer you didn't make, then pushes you to call a number. This fake withdrawal code text was reported by a Nevada sheriff's office:
"(COINBASE) The OTP code for your withdrawal is 736191. If this was not you please call us on +1 (877) 338-XXXX. Ref CB97405."
New Jersey's Middlesex County prosecutor warned about the same scam in September 2025, citing "a recent surge nationwide." (Washoe County Sheriff; Middlesex County)
- "Press 1 to reject." A text says a BTC transfer was suspended: press 1 to reject, 2 to approve. Press 1 and "Coinbase Security" calls right away. (Coinbase, Feb 3, 2025)
- "Call this toll-free number." A text says a 15 ETH transfer was suspended and gives a number to call to "secure your account." (Coinbase, Jul 12, 2023)
What gives it away: it wants you to call a number or tap a link instead of opening the app. Coinbase never asks you to contact an unknown number, and a link without coinbase.com in it is phishing. (Coinbase Help; Coinbase, 2021)
"But I really did get a verification code." [Our advice: an unrequested real code can mean someone is trying to get into your account. Never read it to anyone. Open the app, change your password, and lock the account if anything looks off.] Scammers trigger real codes on purpose; see below.
Coinbase scam calls: the "Coinbase Security" script
Does Coinbase call you? Not out of the blue. Coinbase scam calls follow a script Coinbase itself has laid out:
- The call. "Coinbase Security" says your account is compromised. They sound professional and may spoof a Coinbase number. (Coinbase, Apr 8, 2025)
- The "verification." They read back your address, Social Security digits and balance. This proves nothing (here's why). (Coinbase, Feb 3, 2025; Coinbase, 2023)
- The code. They ask for a code that just arrived, or for you to install a screen-sharing app. (Coinbase, Apr 8, 2025)
- The move. They tell you to move crypto to a "secure wallet" or "vault," often a self-custody wallet set up with a seed phrase they give you. (Coinbase, Apr 8, 2025; Coinbase, Feb 3, 2025)
- The sweep. The scammer, who held the seed phrase all along, drains it. Some first ask whether a Ledger or other wallet is "connected," to take that too. (Coinbase, Feb 3, 2025)
"Coinbase will never make an unsolicited phone call to a customer. Anyone who calls you indicating that they are from Coinbase and wants you to move assets is a scammer."
This page covers callers posing as your exchange. If they claimed to be MetaMask, Ledger, Trezor or "your hardware wallet" support, read how fake wallet support scams work; wallet makers have different rules. If they told you to take cash to a Bitcoin machine, that's the crypto ATM scam script.
Coinbase scam emails: "was this you," "verify your account," "migrate to Coinbase Wallet"
Coinbase scam emails copy real account alerts. Two patterns:
- The seed-phrase "migration" email. In March 2025, emails titled "Migrate to Coinbase Wallet" claimed a court had ordered users into self-custody. Each included a ready-made recovery phrase to import, controlled by the sender. Every link went to Coinbase's real site. Coinbase posted: "We will never send you a recovery phrase, and you should never enter a recovery phrase given to you by someone else." (BleepingComputer, Mar 14, 2025) It's seed phrase phishing in reverse.
- Fake case number + "secure portal." Coinbase says fakes often cite a fake case number, warn of suspicious activity, and link to "secure portals." (Coinbase Help) Already clicked through to a "portal"? Here's how to check whether a crypto site is real.
What gives it away, and the catch: real Coinbase email comes only from coinbase.com, mail.coinbase.com, updates.coinbase.com, info.coinbase.com or cb.mail.coinbase.com. But Coinbase also says "do not rely on the display name or sender address alone," because scammers can fake the "From" field. Open the app instead. (Coinbase Help)
Report it: forward it to [email protected] with the full email headers (Coinbase needs them to investigate), and to [email protected]. (Coinbase Help; FTC)
Coinbase scam letters, including "certified" mail
- Real Coinbase mail exists. Coinbase says it "will at times send physical mail" about features or promotions, with its logo and the return address 248 3rd St, #434, Oakland, CA 94607. Web addresses on it lead only to coinbase.com or the app. (Coinbase Help)
- What real mail never does: ask for passwords or bank details, or ask for remote access to your computer. (Coinbase Help)
- Fake "identity protection" letters. After the May 2025 breach, customers reported letters using their personal details and offering identity protection on behalf of Coinbase and IDX. Coinbase hadn't commented at the time. (CryptoSlate, Jun 5, 2025) Check the return address before acting on anything.
- QR codes in the mail. The FBI says: "Do not scan QR codes from unknown origins." (FBI) Ledger has reported fake letters with QR codes leading to recovery-phrase pages.
- "Certified letter." [Our advice: certified delivery and your correct name and address don't make a letter real. Don't scan its code or call its number. Check in the app yourself.]
Does Coinbase ever call, text, email or mail you? Real vs. fake by channel
Coinbase does contact customers, but only in narrow ways. Built from Coinbase's own pages, checked 2026-10-28:
| Channel | What real Coinbase contact looks like | What's always fake | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone call | Only a callback within about five minutes, to the same number, after a support call you started dropped. | Any call you didn't start, even if caller ID says Coinbase. | Coinbase Help; Coinbase, Feb 2025 |
| Text (SMS) | [Our reading: a sign-in or 2-step code you just requested yourself, while you're signing in.] | A text asking you to call a number, reply, or open a non-coinbase.com link, or offering a new seed phrase or wallet address. | Coinbase Help; Coinbase, 2021 |
| From coinbase.com or its four listed subdomains, about something you can also see in the app. | Recovery phrases, "migrate" demands, "secure portal" links, fake case numbers. | Coinbase Help; BleepingComputer | |
| Letter | Feature or promo mail from 248 3rd St, #434, Oakland, CA 94607, linking only to coinbase.com. | Requests for passwords, bank details or remote access. | Coinbase Help |
| Social media / DMs | Only @CoinbaseSupport on X and r/CoinbaseSupport on Reddit are official support handles. | Any "support" that DMs you first, including on Telegram or WhatsApp. | Coinbase, Apr 2025 |
Coinbase's older posts say it "does not make outgoing calls" (2018) and "will never call you" (2025). Its current help page adds one exception: a callback to a call you started. (Coinbase, 2018; Coinbase, 2025; Coinbase Help) See how we measured this.
What Coinbase will never ask you to do
Per Coinbase's help center and blog, Coinbase staff will never:
- ask you to secure, move or send your funds anywhere (Coinbase Help)
- give you a seed phrase, or ask for yours (Coinbase Help; Coinbase, Feb 2025)
- ask for your password or 2-step verification code (Coinbase Help)
- ask you to install software, or remotely access your device (Coinbase Help)
- ask you to contact an unknown number to reach them (Coinbase Help)
- call you out of the blue (Coinbase, Apr 2025)
"Move it to Coinbase Wallet for safety" is the trap: Coinbase Wallet is self-custody, and Coinbase has no access to those funds. (Coinbase, Feb 2025) The FTC's rule covers every version: "No legitimate business is going to demand you send cryptocurrency in advance – not to buy something, and not to protect your money." (FTC)
"They knew my address, my SSN digits and my balance. Isn't it really Coinbase?"
- No. Knowing your details proves nothing. In May 2025, Coinbase told the SEC that stolen data included name, address, phone, email, the last 4 digits of Social Security numbers, masked bank numbers, ID images, and balance snapshots and transaction history. That's the checklist a fake caller "verifies" with you. (SEC 8-K; Coinbase)
- A real code or a real Coinbase email doesn't prove it either. Coinbase describes scammers starting a genuine account recovery in your name, so a real email from [email protected] with a real code arrives mid-call. Then they text you a lookalike site, like accountrecovery-[masked]-coinbase.com, to enter it. (Coinbase, Jul 12, 2023)
- Caller ID proves nothing. Scammers spoof Coinbase's real support number, and the FCC says spoofed calls can show any company you trust. (Coinbase, 2018; FCC)
Measured, 2026-10-27: Every detail Coinbase's own example scammer "verifies" (address, email, Social Security number, account balances) is on the data list Coinbase told the SEC was stolen in May 2025. Coinbase's call wording also shifted: "does not make outgoing calls" (2018), "will never proactively contact you via phone" (2023), "will never call you" (2025), and now a five-minute callback after a dropped call you started. (Coinbase, Feb 2025; SEC 8-K; Coinbase Help)
How we checked: we compared the Coinbase help and blog pages we found (2018 to 2025, plus undated live help pages) with the 8-K's data list. Across the top five results for five "coinbase scam" searches, 18 of 25 were Coinbase pages and none were federal; that's our search tool's order, not Google rank. This isn't every page Coinbase has published.
If your data was in the breach: Coinbase emailed affected customers from [email protected] on May 15, 2025. It recommends a Coinbase-only email address, a passkey or security key for 2-step verification, and address allowlisting. (Coinbase; Coinbase, Feb 2025)
Already called back, read a code, or moved money?
- Read a code or gave your password, but no money moved? Lock your account in the app, change your Coinbase and email passwords, and contact Coinbase through the in-app Help Center. (Coinbase Help)
- Sent crypto from Coinbase to a "secure wallet" or address they gave you? Tell Coinbase through the in-app Help Center or Scam Hub first, then report it in order with our evidence template. (Coinbase Help)
- Imported a seed phrase they gave you, or gave them yours? That wallet belongs to the scammer now. Follow our seed phrase steps, and if funds already left, the first 30 minutes after a drain.
- They sent you to a website or app to "verify"? Don't go back to it. Here's how to check a crypto site before you use it.
- Told to take cash to a Bitcoin ATM? Stop. Read Crypto ATM scams, including state refund deadlines.
- Now someone offers to get it back for a fee? That's the second scam.
- 60 or older, or helping a parent? Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline, 833-372-8311, and use our reporting guide. For parents, also see how to stop a parent from being sent to a crypto ATM.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a Coinbase text is a scam?
Assume a Coinbase text is a scam if it asks you to call a number, reply, or tap a link that isn't coinbase.com, or if it reports a withdrawal or login you didn't make. Coinbase says it will never ask you to contact an unknown number. Open the Coinbase app yourself to check, and forward the text to 7726.
Does Coinbase ever call you?
Not out of the blue. Coinbase says it will never make an unsolicited phone call. The only exception on its help center is a callback within about five minutes after a support call you started gets disconnected. Hang up on any other "Coinbase" caller, even if caller ID shows a Coinbase number.
I got a Coinbase withdrawal code text I didn't request. What should I do?
Don't call the number in the text, and never share the code. Open the Coinbase app or type coinbase.com yourself, review recent activity, change your password, and lock the account if anything looks wrong. Sheriff's and prosecutor's offices in Nevada and New Jersey have warned about this exact text.
How can I tell if an email from Coinbase is real?
Real Coinbase emails come from coinbase.com or one of four listed subdomains (mail., updates., info. and cb.mail.), but Coinbase says not to rely on the sender address alone. Don't click links. Open the app or type coinbase.com and check whether any action is needed. An email that gives you a recovery phrase is always a scam.
Does Coinbase send letters in the mail?
Sometimes, about features and promotions, with a return address of 248 3rd St, #434, Oakland, CA 94607. Coinbase says real mail never asks for passwords, bank details or remote access, and its web addresses lead only to coinbase.com. Don't scan a QR code or call a number on a letter you weren't expecting.
The caller knew my address, the last 4 of my SSN and my balance. Is it really Coinbase?
No. That information can come from data breaches, including Coinbase's own May 2025 incident, which exposed exactly those details for some customers. Coinbase says scammers routinely "verify" this kind of data to sound real.
Coinbase told me to move my crypto to a secure wallet or vault. Is that real?
No. Coinbase says it will never ask you to move funds to a new address, account, vault or wallet, and will never give you a seed phrase. Anyone who does is a scammer who controls that wallet.
How do I report a Coinbase scam text?
Copy the text and forward it to 7726 (SPAM), send a screenshot to [email protected], and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you lost money, also report it to Coinbase in the app and to the FBI at ic3.gov.
I already sent crypto to the scammer. Can Coinbase get it back?
Contact Coinbase through the in-app Help Center right away, then report it to ic3.gov in order. Crypto sent on-chain usually can't be reversed. Coinbase did reimburse eligible retail customers tricked as a direct result of its May 2025 breach, after a review. Ignore anyone who offers to recover it for a fee.
What to do next
Got a "Coinbase" text or call? Don't reply or call back. Open the Coinbase app yourself and check for alerts there. Report the text by forwarding it to 7726 (SPAM). If anything looks wrong, lock your account in the app. Already moved money? Report it in order with our evidence template. Gave someone a seed phrase or lost funds from a wallet? Our 30-minute checklist.
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No affiliate links, exchange referrals, coin calls or recovery-service referrals on this page, by policy. We name Coinbase because scammers impersonate it. We have no relationship with Coinbase.
Sources
- Coinbase Help, "Technical support and impersonation scams" (undated, live page). help.coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-28)
- Coinbase, "Consumer Protection Tuesday: How to Spot and Stop Customer Support Scams," 2025-04-08. coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Coinbase, "Hang up the Phone – Stop Social Engineering Scams," 2025-02-03. coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Coinbase (Jeff Lunglhofer, CISO), "Resisting Advanced Social Engineering," 2023-07-12. coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Coinbase, "Avoiding Phone Scams," 2018-05-14 (older post; cited for caller ID spoofing and call-policy history only). coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Coinbase Security, "What you need to know about SMS phishing attacks," 2021-08-27. coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Coinbase Help, "Coinbase email addresses" (undated, live page). help.coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-28)
- Coinbase Help, "Reporting phishing sites" (undated, live page). help.coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-28)
- Coinbase Help, "Direct mail from Coinbase" (undated, live page). help.coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-28)
- Coinbase Help, "Lock or unlock your compromised account" (undated, live page). help.coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-28)
- Coinbase, "Protecting Our Customers – Standing Up to Extortionists," 2025-05-15. coinbase.com (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Coinbase Global, Inc., Form 8-K, Item 1.05 (report dated 2025-05-14, filed 2025-05-15). sec.gov (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Federal Trade Commission, "How To Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages" (undated consumer article). consumer.ftc.gov (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Federal Trade Commission, "How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams" (undated consumer article). consumer.ftc.gov (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Federal Trade Commission, "What To Know About Cryptocurrency and Scams" (undated consumer article). consumer.ftc.gov (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Federal Communications Commission, "Caller ID Spoofing" (consumer guide, undated). fcc.gov (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Washoe County (NV) Sheriff's Office, "Scam Alert from Washoe County Sheriff's Office on Coinbase SMS Scam Targeting Cryptocurrency Users," 2025-05-06. washoecounty.gov (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Middlesex County (NJ) Office of the County Prosecutor, "Fraud Alert: Coinbase Withdrawal Code Scam," 2025-09-04. middlesexcountynj.gov (accessed 2026-10-27)
- FBI, "Unsolicited Packages Containing QR Codes Used to Initiate Fraud Schemes" (PSA I-073125-PSA), 2025-07-31 (cited for the QR-code rule only). fbi.gov (accessed 2026-10-27)
- BleepingComputer, "Coinbase phishing email tricks users with fake wallet migration," 2025-03-14. bleepingcomputer.com (accessed 2026-10-27)
- CryptoSlate, "Coinbase data breach spills offline as victims get scam mail," 2025-06-05 (news report; Coinbase had not commented). cryptoslate.com (accessed 2026-10-27)
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, "2025 IC3 Annual Report," April 2026 (pp. 54–55, crime types with a cryptocurrency nexus). ic3.gov (accessed 2026-10-27)
Changelog
- 2026-10-28: First published. Coinbase help pages re-checked the same day; county alerts and federal sources checked 2026-10-27.