Beware: Ethereum Address-Poisoning Scams Accelerate; How to Stay Safe?

Ethereum (ETH) users are facing a sharp rise in address-poisoning scams following the network’s recent Fusaka upgrade. The attacks rely on small “dust” transfers sent from lookalike wallet addresses designed to trick victims into copying the wrong destination. Analysts warn that the surge highlights a growing threat tied to lower transaction costs on the Ethereum network.

Address-poisoning attacks increasing

According to blockchain tracking shared by Wise Crypto in an X post on March 13, address-poisoning attacks have escalated significantly in recent weeks.

These scams typically involve sending a tiny cryptocurrency transfer, known as a dust transaction, from a wallet address that closely resembles a legitimate one.

The goal is to insert the fraudulent address into a user’s transaction history, where it may later be copied accidentally during a transfer. If the victim sends funds to the spoofed address, the assets are permanently lost.

Dust transfers surging across tokens

Data shared by analysts shows a sharp increase in dust transactions across several major assets on Ethereum. USDT-related dust transfers have reportedly risen 612%, while similar transfers involving USDC have increased 473%.

Meanwhile, ETH dust transfers have surged by more than 65 million transactions, indicating a broad rise in automated attack activity. Historically, address-poisoning schemes have already resulted in roughly $79 million in losses, according to estimates cited in the analysis.

Lower fees may be driving the trend

The spike in attacks comes shortly after the Fusaka upgrade, which reduced transaction costs on the Ethereum network. 

Lower fees make it significantly cheaper for attackers to distribute large numbers of small transactions, allowing them to target many wallets at once.

Security researchers say this change may have unintentionally lowered the barrier for scammers to run automated poisoning campaigns.

Users urged to verify wallet addresses

Analysts say the most effective defense against address poisoning is careful verification of wallet addresses before sending funds.

Experts warn users not to copy addresses directly from transaction history, where poisoned entries may appear.

Instead, users are advised to confirm the full wallet address manually or rely on saved whitelists or trusted contacts when sending cryptocurrency.

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