If you’re receiving text messages from Coinbase with a withdrawal code and you don’t have an account, this is almost certainly a phishing scam. It’s a common tactic used by fraudsters to gain access to other people’s accounts.
Why This Is a Scam
Unsolicited Texts:
- Legitimate companies, especially financial services like Coinbase, will not send you an unsolicited text with a withdrawal code. This code is a two-factor authentication (2FA) code, which is triggered when someone attempts to log in to an account.
Creating Urgency:
- These scam texts often create a sense of urgency or fear, claiming that a withdrawal is being processed or that there’s a problem with your account. They want you to panic and click a link or call a fake phone number they provide.
Targeting Other Victims:
- The most likely scenario is that a scammer has someone else’s phone number but your phone number is also tied to their account in some way, or they are just sending out texts to a large number of random people hoping to find someone who also happens to have a Coinbase account. They are trying to get you to provide the code to them, which would give them access to the real account.
Coinbase Does Not Text to Verify Transactions:
- According to Coinbase’s official support, they do not send out texts to verify transactions. Any message that does this is a phishing attempt.
What to Do
Do Not Click Any Links:
- The most important thing is to avoid clicking on any links in the text message. They are likely malicious and could lead you to a fake website designed to steal your information.
Do Not Call the Number:
- The phone number provided in the text will connect you directly to the scammer. They will likely pose as a support agent and try to get you to give them your personal information or the code from the text.
Delete the Text:
- Delete the message and block the sender’s number.
Report the Phishing Attempt:
- You can report the text message to Coinbase’s security team by taking a screenshot and emailing it to security@coinbase.com. You can also report the message to your mobile provider by forwarding the text to 7726 (SPAM).
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How to verify if the text is real
Real Coinbase SMS comes from shortcodes or numbers listed in Coinbase’s help pages.
Real messages will reference your name or account, and will not have suspicious links.
Fake messages often:
Contain typos
Come from random phone numbers
Include urgent wording (“Your account will be closed…”)
💡 Bottom line:
If you didn’t request a withdrawal, treat it as a hack attempt. If you did request one, only enter the code directly on Coinbase.com or the official app — never share it anywhere else.
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