In recent months, a growing number of users on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) have voiced their frustrations regarding unexpected account restrictions and blocks imposed by the US-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase.
This wave of complaints has raised significant concerns about Coinbase’s risk management practices and its effectiveness in preventing users from falling victim to social engineering scams, which are estimated to cost customers over $300 million annually.
$65 Million Stolen Amidst User Complaints And Account Restrictions
ZachXBT, a crypto investigator, has attributed these account issues to Coinbase’s “aggressive risk models,” which appear to prioritize security measures at the expense of user accessibility.
ZachXBT analyzed withdrawals from Coinbase, uncovering $65 million stolen from users between December 2024 and January 2025 alone. It’s important to note that this figure is likely a fraction of the actual losses.
One particularly troubling case involved an individual who lost approximately $850,000 to a sophisticated scam. The scammer employed a spoofed phone number and utilized personal information from compromised databases to establish trust with the victim.
Posing as a Coinbase representative, the scammer claimed that the victim’s account had experienced unauthorized login attempts—a tactic that Coinbase itself explicitly warns users against, noting that they will never initiate phone calls.
Following this, the scammer sent a counterfeit email that appeared to come from Coinbase, complete with a fake Case ID to further gain the victim’s confidence.
They then instructed the victim to transfer funds to a Coinbase Wallet and whitelist a specific address, all while assuring them that “support” was verifying their account’s security.
Coinbase Criticized For Inadequate Response
Scammers have reportedly developed nearly identical clones of the Coinbase website, enabling them to send phishing emails that appear legitimate. Numerous Telegram channels have emerged, where these scammers advertise their malicious tools.
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Author: Ronaldo Marquez