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Protect yourself from scams

Last updated: 13 October 2026

Scammers target crypto because transactions are fast and can’t be reversed. Once crypto leaves your account, neither you nor Kraken can get it back. Knowing the warning signs is the best protection.

Think you’ve been scammed?

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    Stop sending funds. Don’t make any more payments, including “fees”, “taxes” or “deposits” to release money you’ve already sent.

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    If someone may have access to your account, contact Kraken Support straight away. Use this form and answer the questions truthfully and as fully as you can. A scammer who has taken over your account may have locked you out, so don’t wait until you’ve tried to fix it yourself. If you can still sign in, change your password, update your Sign-in 2FA and Master Key, and check that your withdrawal addresses, API keys and devices are all familiar. Delete any you don’t recognize.

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    Report the scam. Use our scam report form. Kraken can’t reverse a crypto transaction or recover funds sent to someone else, but your report helps us protect your account and other clients.

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    Report it to the authorities. See Report fraud to the authorities, below.

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    Beware of recovery scams. Anyone who contacts you offering to get your crypto back for a fee is a scammer. See Can I recover crypto lost to a scam?

Kraken will never ask you to

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    Share your username, password, 2FA codes or Master Key.

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    Share or forward a device approval email, or the link inside it.

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    Share your seed phrase (also called a recovery phrase), for any wallet.

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    Remove or change your 2FA, Master Key or Global Settings Lock (GSL), unless you contacted us first for help with it through our official channels.

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    Install remote access software such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer. See Risks of remote access software.

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    Send crypto, or move your funds to a “safe” or “secure” wallet or address.

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    Send a payment to release, unfreeze or “verify” your funds.

If anyone asks you to do any of these, stop. It’s a scam, whoever they say they are.

How to check you’re dealing with Kraken

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    Websites: type https://id.kraken.com/sign-in into your browser’s address bar and check for typos, or use a bookmark. Don’t use a search engine to get to Kraken or any other sensitive site. Scammers buy ad space so fake sites appear at the top of search results.

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    Emails: check the sender against the list in Is this email from Kraken? Don’t click links in an email you weren’t expecting. Open Kraken yourself instead.

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    Phone calls: Kraken Support will only call you if you’ve already contacted us and arranged the call. An unexpected call is a red flag. During a genuine call, the Kraken app shows a banner confirming you’re speaking with Kraken Support, and you can ask the agent to read back the one-time code shown in your app. No banner, or a code that doesn’t match? Hang up and report it. See Verifying your call with Kraken Support.

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    Social media: Kraken will never message you first on social media. We only send a direct message if you’ve raised a concern with us publicly first, and even then, never share account details.

Warning signs of any scam

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    Contact you didn’t ask for, by phone, text, email, social media or a dating app.

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    Pressure to act now, or a threat of what will happen if you don’t.

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    Being asked to keep it secret from your bank, family or Kraken.

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    Being told what to say if Kraken or your bank asks about a payment.

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    Guaranteed returns, “free” crypto, or a deal that’s far below the usual price.

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    Being asked to pay in crypto or gift cards.

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    Being asked to install an app or software, or to move the conversation to another platform.

Make your account harder to steal

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    Use Passkeys for Sign-in 2FA. A Passkey only works on Kraken’s real website, so it can’t be used on a fake site even if you’re fooled. Only use an authenticator app if Passkeys aren’t available, and read Risks of using an authenticator app first. See What is a Passkey?

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    Keep your Master Key on a different device from your Sign-in 2FA. For example, if your Sign-in 2FA Passkey is on your phone, create your Master Key Passkey on a Hardware Security Key. See What is a Master Key?

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    Turn on the Global Settings Lock (GSL) so no one can change your security settings without your Master Key or a waiting period. See What is the Global Settings Lock (GSL)?

For a full checklist, see Securing your Kraken account and digital life.

Common scams

Phishing scams

Fake websites, emails, texts and search ads designed to steal your sign-in details, 2FA codes or seed phrase. See Phishing scams.

Fake Kraken Support and other impersonation scams

Scammers pose as Kraken Support, a tech company, your bank, the police or a government agency, often by phone and sometimes using AI-cloned voices. See Impersonation scams.

Investment and romance scams

Scammers build trust, sometimes over weeks, then persuade you to “invest” on a platform they control. This includes pig butchering, fake brokers and “account managers”. See Investment and romance scams.

Dusting attacks and address poisoning

Scammers send tiny amounts of crypto to track your wallet, advertise fake tokens, or plant look-alike addresses in your transaction history so you copy the wrong one. See What is a dusting attack?

Recovery scams

Scammers target people who have already lost money, promising to recover it for a fee. See Can I recover crypto lost to a scam?

Other scams to watch for

Crypto giveaway scams

A hacked or fake account belonging to a celebrity or company promises to “double” any crypto you send. Fake X accounts may have a verified check mark, and fake YouTube livestreams often have bots in the comments claiming they were paid.

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    A giveaway that asks you to send crypto first is a scam.

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    Scammers use the fear of missing out (FOMO) and countdown timers to rush you.

Employment and task scams

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    You’re offered a job with little or no interview, often through an unexpected message.

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    Money mule jobs: you’re sent money, told to convert some of it to crypto and send it on. The money is usually stolen, and you may be held responsible.

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    Task scams: you’re paid small amounts to “rate” products or “boost” apps, then told to deposit crypto to unlock bigger tasks or your earnings.

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    A real employer will never ask you to pay, or to move money through your own accounts.

Holiday, charity and disaster scams

Scammers take advantage of big events, such as fake charity appeals after a natural disaster or cheap electronics and tickets around the holidays, and ask for crypto as payment.

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    Give through a charity’s own website, which you’ve typed in yourself.

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    Ask why a seller wants crypto and won’t use a normal checkout.

Large purchase scams

A car, rental, boat or event tickets are offered well below market price. The seller moves you off the listing site and asks for payment in crypto, sometimes from an email address that looks like the marketplace’s.

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    Keep all messages and payments on the official marketplace.

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    Check the sender’s full email domain.

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    If the price is too good to be true, it probably is.

Report fraud to the authorities