Ralph Lombreglia

Yesterday I received this text:

Your code (579-431) is required to reset your new Coinbase 2FA. If this wasn't you, please reach out to support +1 (305) 722-1252 right away.

I’ve received lots of phishing emails pretending to be from Coinbase, but this was the first time I received a text. It did not look particularly official, but what text ever does? As it happened, I had just done a major Coinbase transaction the day before, so I was especially concerned that my information had gotten into someone’s hands who was trying to access my account.

I called the number. A recorded woman’s voice said something like “Thank you for calling Coinbase. Someone on our team will be right with you,” and then suspiciously quickly a man came on speaking in an English- or possibly Australian-sounding accent. I told him I had received their text. He went away for a minute and came back saying that indeed someone had made repeated attempts to sign in to my account. Several attempts had been made from an iPhone 8, he said. Did I own an iPhone 8? No, I never owned an iPhone 8.

He wanted to help me download a “decentralized wallet” into which I could transfer my Bitcoin to protect myself. I repeatedly told him that I had no idea if I was actually talking to Coinbase. I asked him to give me some information to convince me. He repeatedly said that my caution was understandable and well-advised, but it wouldn’t be wise for me to take my suspicions to the point where “nobody could help me.”

We went back-and-forth several times, my suspicions growing by the minute. Finally I told him I wasn’t comfortable with the conversation and was going to terminate the call. The quality of his voice changed noticeably, and he tried several times to talk me out of hanging up. That clinched it for me.

I searched for Coinbase’s help number, called it, and quickly found out that I had been talking to an imposter.

Yes, I will be moving my crypto holdings onto a hardware wallet.

If you have questions about a message you’ve received from “Coinbase,” call their one and only help number: +1 (888) 908-7930.