The Crypto and Web3 Scams Prevention Guidebook
Spot and stop crypto scams before they cost you
2026 Edition · version 2026.1 · last reviewed October 2026 · free PDF
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Download the free PDF (110 pages)
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DO YOU THINK YOU WERE JUST SCAMMED?
Do not pay, sign, send or install anything else.
Find what actually happened in the “Start here” triage at the front of the free PDF: it gives the first steps for each situation, from a connected wallet to an exposed seed phrase.
Report it through official channels: How to Report a Crypto Scam.
Ignore anyone who offers to recover your funds for a fee. See Recovery Scams.
What Is New in the 2026 Edition
13 chapters that match how scams actually happen, following the CSF incident classification, so the book, the website and the CSF rules use the same categories.
New chapters on impersonation, address poisoning and recovery scams.
A “Start here” section for anyone who thinks they have been scammed, organized by what you actually did.
CSF rules in every chapter, with one main rule per scam type. All 32 rules: CSF Security Rules.
Corrected and updated advice, including disconnecting versus revoking, what hardware wallets can and cannot do, and why reassuring signals such as audits or checkmarks are not proof.
No invented case figures. Scenarios are clearly marked as illustrative.
The 13 Chapters
Each chapter has its own page with the full text, the infographic and first steps if it just happened to you.
| Ch | Chapter | What it covers | Main rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Engineering Scams | The triggers and pattern behind almost every scam; advance-fee, P2P and “free wallet” traps | SDR-001 |
| 2 | Impersonation Scams | Fake support, fake security calls, fake police, fake founders and deepfakes | SDR-004 |
| 3 | Phishing Scams | Fake sites, emails and QR codes; wallet drainers and malicious signatures | SDR-009 |
| 4 | Fake Apps and Wallets | Fake wallets, extensions, trading apps and tampered hardware wallets | TSR-001 |
| 5 | Malicious Contracts and Approvals | Fake dApps, trading bots and approvals that move your tokens once you sign | GR-004 |
| 6 | Address Poisoning Scams | Lookalike addresses planted in your wallet history | OR-005 |
| 7 | Giveaway and Airdrop Scams | Fake airdrops, claim pages and “send to receive” giveaways | SDR-005 |
| 8 | Fake Investment Platforms | Fake exchanges and trading platforms that show profits but block withdrawals | SDR-003 |
| 9 | Token Scams | Fake launches, presales, rug pulls and pump and dumps | SDR-007 |
| 10 | Romance Scams | Relationships built to steer you to a fake platform | SDR-006 |
| 11 | Job and Task Scams | Fake recruiters and “task” platforms that make you pay to get paid | SDR-002 |
| 12 | Blackmail and Extortion Scams | Threat emails and extortion with crypto payment demands | GR-005 |
| 13 | Recovery Scams | Fake recovery services that target people who already lost funds | SDR-010 |
How the Scams Connect
Scams rarely come alone. A romance contact leads to a fake investment platform; a loss leads to a recovery scam; a fake job leads to malware. If one chapter applies to you, read the chapters it is often combined with.
| If you are reading… | Also read |
|---|---|
| Romance Scams (10) | Fake Investment Platforms (8), Blackmail and Extortion (12), Recovery Scams (13) |
| Job and Task Scams (11) | Fake Apps and Wallets (4), Fake Investment Platforms (8), Recovery Scams (13) |
| Fake Investment Platforms (8) | Token Scams (9), Romance (10), Job and Task (11), Recovery Scams (13) |
| Impersonation Scams (2) | Phishing (3), Fake Apps (4), Blackmail (12), Recovery Scams (13) |
| Phishing Scams (3) | Impersonation (2), Malicious Contracts (5), Giveaways and Airdrops (7) |
| Address Poisoning (6) | Wrong Wallet Address in the User Mistakes guide |
Where to Find the Topics From the First Edition
The first edition had 16 chapters. Some topics now sit inside a broader chapter, and SIM swaps moved to the Hackers guide:
The CSF Rules Behind the Book
Every chapter ends with the CSF rules for that scam: one main rule and the rules that support it. The book mainly uses the Scam Defense Rules (the “Avoid Deception” area of the CSF security model), together with the Golden Rules and the Operational and Technical Security Rules where a scam depends on them. This edition uses CSF Rules v2.
All 32 rules, with what each one prevents: CSF Security Rules.
About the Book
| Detail | The 2026 Edition |
|---|---|
| Title | The Crypto and Web3 Scams Prevention Guidebook – 2026 Edition |
| Author | Juan Pablo Renedo, CryptoSafetyFirst |
| Version | 2026.1, last reviewed October 2026 |
| Format | PDF, 110 pages, free |
| Rules | CSF Rules v2 |
| Sharing | Free to share in its complete, unmodified form. The current version is always on this page. |
DOWNLOAD
Download the free PDF (110 pages)
Change Log
| Version | Date | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| 2026.1 | October 2026 | 2026 Edition: rebuilt around 13 chapters; new chapters on impersonation, address poisoning and recovery scams; “Start here” triage; CSF rules in every chapter; SIM swaps moved to the Hackers guide; free PDF. |
| 1st edition | May 2025 | 16 chapters. Kindle edition, now retired. |
Related Guides
The Three-Wallet Model: set up Vault, Frequent Use and Disposable wallets so one mistake cannot take everything
The Crypto and Web3 User Mistakes Prevention Guidebook: backups, wrong addresses, lost access and inheritance
How to Keep Your Crypto Safe from Hackers: devices, accounts, malware and SIM swaps
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the guide really free?
Yes. The PDF is a free download with no sign-up. You may share it free of charge in its complete, unmodified form.
What changed from the first edition?
The book was rebuilt around 13 chapters that match how scams happen today, with new chapters on impersonation, address poisoning and recovery scams, a “Start here” section for victims, and CSF rules in every chapter.
Is there a Kindle or print version?
Not for the 2026 Edition. The first-edition Kindle book has been retired; the guide is available as a free PDF and as chapter pages on this site.
How do I know I have the latest version?
The version and “last reviewed” date are on the copyright page of the PDF and at the top of this page. If they differ, download the PDF again here.
I think I was scammed. Where do I start?
Use the “Start here” triage at the front of the PDF to find what to do first, then report it: How to Report a Crypto Scam.