Summary: Address hijacking is a malicious practice where scammers steal crypto funds by digitally replacing legitimate deposit or withdrawal addresses with their own. It normally happens when aSummary: Address hijacking is a malicious practice where scammers steal crypto funds by digitally replacing legitimate deposit or withdrawal addresses with their own. It normally happens when a
Learn/Cryptocurrency Knowledge/Security Knowledge/How To Prev...s Hijacking

How To Prevent Loss of Funds Caused by Address Hijacking

Jul 16, 2025MEXC
0m
Ethereum
ETH$1,854.14-2.35%
Lorenzo Protocol
BANK$0.29635+16.66%
XRP
XRP$1.0895-1.92%

Summary: Address hijacking is a malicious practice where scammers steal crypto funds by digitally replacing legitimate deposit or withdrawal addresses with their own. It normally happens when a victim uses unofficial software to send addresses for receiving crypto. Victims may also notice when they copy and paste addresses locally, the pasted address does not match the intended address.

How to protect yourself from address hijacking


1. Always download third-party chat applications from legitimate sources. Avoid cracked versions and unofficial localizations of otherwise legitimate software. Only download software directly from officially recognized app stores or the developers' platform.

2. Exercise caution when installing third-party browser extensions and avoid installing unreliable extensions from unofficial marketplaces.

3. Regularly update your device's operating system (iOS/Android/Windows/macOS), promptly install system security patches, keep your browser up to date, install antivirus software, and perform regular virus scans.

Test whether your address has been hijacked


1.In a chat application, send the address to a friend and compare the address they receive on their device. If they don't match, it indicates that the address has been hijacked.

2.When using a browser to make withdrawals on a CEX platform, there is usually a second confirmation screen for the address. Carefully check if the displayed address matches the intended address. If they don't match, it indicates that the browser interface has been hijacked. You can also test the address using a search engine. Paste the test withdrawal address into a search engine, click search, and check if the search keywords on the search results page match the address you entered.If they don't match, the browser interface may have been hijacked.

3.In your operating system, copy the test address and paste it into a notepad or other software. Compare the pasted address with the intended address. If they don't match, your entire clipboard may have been hijacked.

If you are the victim of address hijacking


1. If you suspect that the third-party chat application you use is hijacking your address, uninstall the application and download the official version from a legitimate source.

2. If you suspect that your browser has been hijacked, the most likely cause is a malicious browser extension or a counterfeit version of the browser. If you downloaded the browser from a legitimate source, uninstall any suspicious extensions. If you are unsure which extension may be the culprit, uninstall all extensions. If you did not download the browser from an official channel, uninstall and redownload it from an official source.

3. If you suspect that your OS has been hijacked (i.e. addresses change when copying and pasting locally), it is likely that your device has malware. Install antivirus software and scan for virusespromptly. Additionally, you should keep your system updated and regularly install security updates.

4. If none of these steps resolve your issue, you may need to consider reinstalling your operating system. Be aware that you will lose all your data if you reinstall your operating system. Consider visiting an official service center to help with reinstallation.


Market Opportunity
Ethereum Logo
Ethereum Price(ETH)
$1,855.59
$1,855.59$1,855.59
-2.09%
USD
Ethereum (ETH) Live Price Chart

Popular Articles

View More
Ethereum USDT Price Breaks Above $1,900: Is ETH/USDT Building a Bottom or Still Capped by $2,000?

Ethereum USDT Price Breaks Above $1,900: Is ETH/USDT Building a Bottom or Still Capped by $2,000?

Ethereum has finally pushed back above the $1,900 USDT area, and the move has changed the tone around ETH/USDT. According to MEXC market data, ETH has recently traded above $1,900 after spending much

Is the ETH Bear Market Over? The Rally Is Finally Forcing the Question

Is the ETH Bear Market Over? The Rally Is Finally Forcing the Question

Ethereum has started to move like an asset traders can no longer ignore. For months, ETH had a frustrating problem: the story was strong, but the chart did not act like it. Bitcoin had the

The Ethereum Foundation Just Cut Its Budget by 40%: What Does That Mean for ETH's Price? Here's The Ethereum Price Prediction for July 2026

The Ethereum Foundation Just Cut Its Budget by 40%: What Does That Mean for ETH's Price? Here's The Ethereum Price Prediction for July 2026

Ethereum opened July 2026 trading near $1,571, a fraction of the roughly $4,950 all-time high it set less than a year earlier. That drop has a lot of people typing the same question into Google in

The US-Iran Peace Deal Just Reset the Ethereum (ETH) Price Prediction, and the Numbers Back It Up

The US-Iran Peace Deal Just Reset the Ethereum (ETH) Price Prediction, and the Numbers Back It Up

Peace changed the calculus for ETH, and not in the way most investors expected. When the US-Iran ceasefire was confirmed in June 2026, Ethereum did not simply recover alongside the broader market. It

Hot Crypto Updates

View More
What Is an Ethereum Treasury Company and How Do These ETH Holding Stocks Work

What Is an Ethereum Treasury Company and How Do These ETH Holding Stocks Work

Overview Public companies now hold roughly 7.88 million ETH between them, about 6.6 percent of circulating supply, a position large enough to matter to the token's float. Yet equity markets are

Ethereum Price Prediction: Can ETH Reclaim $2,000 as the CLARITY Act Vote Nears? Key Takeaways

Ethereum Price Prediction: Can ETH Reclaim $2,000 as the CLARITY Act Vote Nears? Key Takeaways

Ethereum (ETH) rallied to about $1,944 last week before getting rejected below the $2,000 barrier, and trades near $1,865 at the time of writing, still one of the strongest large caps of the month. A

Robinhood Chain vs Base: Which Ethereum Layer 2 Has the Stronger Financial Ecosystem?

Robinhood Chain vs Base: Which Ethereum Layer 2 Has the Stronger Financial Ecosystem?

Robinhood Chain and Base are Ethereum Layer 2 networks developed by two of the largest consumer-facing financial platforms in the crypto market. Robinhood Chain is built with Arbitrum technology and

How to Bridge to Robinhood Chain: Move ETH Safely, Fees and Withdrawal Times

How to Bridge to Robinhood Chain: Move ETH Safely, Fees and Withdrawal Times

Bridging allows users to move ETH and supported tokens between Ethereum, Robinhood Chain and other blockchain networks. Robinhood Chain supports an Arbitrum canonical bridge as well as faster

Trending News

View More
Bitmine Adds Another 20,500 ETH Through Galaxy Digital as Ethereum Treasury Grows

Bitmine Adds Another 20,500 ETH Through Galaxy Digital as Ethereum Treasury Grows

An on-chain transfer of 20,500 ETH, worth approximately $35.92 million, was recorded on July 9 from a Galaxy Digital OTC wallet. Blockchain analysts have linked

Bitmine Buys Another $35.9M Worth of Ethereum

Bitmine Buys Another $35.9M Worth of Ethereum

Tom Lee-backed Bitmine bought another 20,500 ETH worth $35.92M through Galaxy Digital, expanding its Ethereum treasury. #Ethereum #ETH #Bitmine #Crypto

Ethereum (ETH) Price: Institutions Are Quietly Buying While Retail Looks Away — Here’s What the Data Shows

Ethereum (ETH) Price: Institutions Are Quietly Buying While Retail Looks Away — Here’s What the Data Shows

TLDR Spot Ethereum ETFs pulled in $70.48 million in net inflows on July 8, a five-day positive streak Bitcoin ETFs lost $84.86 million on the same day, showing

Robinhood Chain Bridges $70M+ ETH in First Week, Data Shows

Robinhood Chain Bridges $70M+ ETH in First Week, Data Shows

Ether is already seeing tangible activity from Robinhood’s newly launched layer-2 network. According to Token Terminal, more than $70 million worth of ETH has been

Related Articles

View More
MEXC Account Frozen? Withdrawal Limits & How to Fix Restricted Account Issues

MEXC Account Frozen? Withdrawal Limits & How to Fix Restricted Account Issues

Account freezing refers to the temporary blocking or restriction of a user's cryptocurrency trading account, preventing them from making transactions or withdrawing funds. The duration of a cryptocurr

MEXC Restricted Countries: Complete List of Prohibited & Limited Regions

MEXC Restricted Countries: Complete List of Prohibited & Limited Regions

MEXC is committed to providing users with a convenient, efficient, and secure trading platform, empowering crypto enthusiasts worldwide to explore the digital asset ecosystem. We uphold the highest st

How to Identify SMS Phishing

How to Identify SMS Phishing

SMS Phishing are fraudulent activities that use SMS (Short Message Service) as a medium to steal users' sensitive information (such as wallet private keys, login credentials) or deceive them into givi

Honeypot Token Prevention Guide

Honeypot Token Prevention Guide

New projects and cryptocurrencies in the digital currency market are constantly emerging. Due to their potential for high returns, they also hide significant risks for investors. The term "Honeypot To

Sign Up on MEXC
Sign Up & Receive Up to 10,000 USDT Bonus
Is Your Stablecoin Truly Safe?
Is Your Stablecoin Truly Safe?Is Your Stablecoin Truly Safe?
Know the risks of USDT, USDC, OpenUSD & USD1