Crypto security firms are raising fresh alarms after new data revealed that scammers stole tens of millions of dollars from users in January through address poisoning and signature phishing attacks, with the trend showing no signs of slowing.
Someone lost $12.25M in January by copying the wrong address from their transaction history. In December, another victim lost $50M the same way.
Two victims. $62M gone.
Signature phishing also surged — $6.27M stolen across 4,741 victims (+207% vs Dec).
Top cases:
· $3.02M —… pic.twitter.com/7D5ynInRrb— Scam Sniffer | Web3 Anti-Scam (@realScamSniffer) February 8, 2026
A single victim reportedly lost $12.2 million last month after copying a fake wallet address from their transaction history, a mistake caused by an address poisoning attack, according to blockchain security firm Scam Sniffer. The incident follows an even larger $50 million loss recorded in December, highlighting how costly the tactic has become.
Address poisoning remains a major threat
Web3 Antivirus described address poisoning as one of the most reliable ways scammers extract large sums of crypto, noting that past losses linked to the tactic have ranged from $4 million to $126 million. The firm warned that recent incidents suggest the problem is accelerating rather than fading.
Researchers explained that attackers generate addresses matching the same first and last characters as trusted wallets, making the fake address appear identical at a glance.
Ethereum activity fuels rise in dust attacks
Alongside address poisoning, Scam Sniffer reported a sharp rise in signature phishing, where users are tricked into signing malicious blockchain transactions, often granting unlimited token approvals. In January alone, signature phishing attacks drained $6.27 million from 4,741 victims, a 207% jump from December, with just two wallets responsible for 65% of the losses.
Analysts believe lower transaction costs following Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade in December may have contributed to the surge in dust-based attacks. Coin Metrics reported earlier this month that stablecoin-related dust transactions now account for 11% of all Ethereum transactions and 26% of daily active addresses.
Its analysis of 227 million stablecoin wallet balance updates between November 2025 and January 2026 found that 38% were worth less than one cent, consistent with mass address poisoning activity.
Adding to concerns, blockchain intelligence firm Whitestream said DAI has increasingly become a favoured stablecoin for illicit actors, citing its governance structure, which does not support wallet freezes. The firm noted that this feature has made DAI a frequent destination in recent address poisoning cases.
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