Countersign
Is this text a scam?

Is this Coinbase text a scam?

Updated October 16, 2026 · 5 min read

A text “from Coinbase” about a payment you didn’t make, or a call to move your crypto to a “safe” wallet, is a well-known scam. Coinbase says it will never ask for your password or 2-step verification codes, and never call or text you a new wallet address to send funds to. Here is how to check and what to do.

The short answer

Coinbase says a text reporting a digital currency transaction you didn’t authorise is likely phishing, and that it doesn’t send texts to verify transactions. If a message makes you panic about your crypto, stop and check your account directly. We can’t see your message, so no page can tell you for certain. If you’re unsure, don’t use the link: go to the company’s own app or website, or call a number you already trust.

What Coinbase says it will never do

  • Ask for your password or 2-step verification codes.
  • Ask for remote access to your computer.
  • Call or text you a new seed phrase or wallet address to move your funds to.
  • Send texts to verify a transaction.

How the scam usually works

  1. A text or call says there’s suspicious activity on your account.
  2. You’re told to call a number or follow a link for “support”.
  3. The person asks for a code, or tells you to move your funds to a “secure” wallet.
  4. Once you do, the funds are gone, and crypto transfers are very hard to reverse.

What to do now

  1. Don’t tap the link, reply or call a number in the text.
  2. Open the Coinbase app or type coinbase.com yourself and look at your account.
  3. Never share a one-time code with anyone, even someone who says they’re from Coinbase.
  4. Report a phishing site or an impersonation account using Coinbase’s help pages. Check help.coinbase.com for the current address.
  5. Forward the text to 7726 and report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

If you already moved funds or shared a code

  • Contact Coinbase through the official app or site straight away.
  • Change your password, secure your email account and review 2-step verification.
  • Report it to the FTC, and to the FBI at ic3.gov if you lost money.
  • Be wary of “recovery” services that contact you. They are often a second scam.

Check it again

You can also paste the message into our free scam text checker. It runs on your message and doesn’t store it.

Frequently asked questions

Does Coinbase text me about transactions?

Coinbase says it doesn’t send texts to verify transactions, and a text about an unauthorised transaction is likely phishing.

Will Coinbase ever ask me to move funds?

No. Coinbase says it will never call or text you a new wallet address or seed phrase to move funds to.

What if someone says they are from Coinbase support?

Hang up and use the support channels in your official app. Coinbase names its official support handles on its own pages.

Sources

Keep reading