“Urgent Binance Text: Please Call This Number…” A Classic Phishing Scam

A sudden text message can trigger instant panic. Imagine receiving one from “Binance” alerting you that a large withdrawal has been made from your account. The message urges you to “Call this number immediately if you haven’t authorized this transaction.”

This is a sophisticated and unfortunately common phishing scam. The goal is to use fear and urgency to trick you into willingly handing over your account credentials and two-factor authentication (2FA) codes to a criminal.

If you’ve received this message, or worse, already called the number, this guide will help you understand the scam and take the right steps to protect yourself and others.

The Golden Rule: Never Call the Number

This is the most critical piece of advice: Legitimate companies like Binance will NEVER send you an unsolicited text message containing a phone number for you to call.

• Genuine Binance alerts will direct you to log in to your official Binance account or app to check notifications and open a support ticket within the platform itself.

• Fake phishing texts are designed to create panic. They use urgency to bypass your logical thinking and trick you into calling a number where a professional scammer will socially engineer you into giving up your account details.

How the Scam Works

1. The Phishing Text: You receive a realistic-looking SMS claiming to be from Binance.

2. The Urgent Call to Action: The message creates fear that your account is being drained.

3. The Fake Support Agent: You call the number and are connected to a convincing “support agent.”

4. Social Engineering: The scammer gains your trust and asks for your login details, 2FA codes, or remote access to your computer to “stop the transaction.”

5. Theft: With this information, they gain full access to your account and withdraw all your funds.

Step-by-Step: What To Do If You Engaged With the Scam

If you provided any information or made the call, act immediately. Time is critical.

Step 1: Secure Your Binance Account

1. Regain Access: If you’re locked out, use Binance’s official account recovery process on their official website (www.binance.com).

2. Change Your Password: Immediately change your Binance account password. Create a strong, unique password that you don’t use anywhere else.

3. Revoke API Keys & Log Out Devices: In your Binance account settings, go to API Management and Security Dashboard. Delete any unknown API keys and log out of all devices to eject the scammer.

4. Review 2FA Settings: If you gave the scammer a 2FA code, they may have compromised your authenticator. If you can, disable and then immediately re-enable your Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). We highly recommend using an authenticator app (like Google Authenticator or Authy) instead of SMS-based 2FA, which is vulnerable to SIM-swapping.

Step 2: Secure Your Broader Finances

• Contact Your Bank: If you have a bank account or card linked to your exchange, contact your bank immediately to report potential fraud and dispute any unauthorized transactions.

• Check Other Accounts: If you use the same password elsewhere, change it on those other sites immediately.

Step 3: Document the Evidence

Gathering evidence is crucial for reporting the crime and helping authorities.

• Screenshot Everything: Take screenshots of the fraudulent text message and your call history.

• Record Details: Write down everything you remember about the phone call. What did they say? What did they ask for?

• Get Transaction IDs: If crypto was stolen, find the Transaction ID (TXID) for the fraudulent withdrawal in your Binance history.

Step 4: Report the Scam

Reporting is essential. It helps authorities track criminal groups and raises awareness.

1. Report to Binance Directly: File a detailed report through the official Binance support channel in the app or website. Their security team can investigate.

2. Report to National Authorities:

   • United States: FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov

   • United Kingdom: Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk

   • Australia: Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) at cyber.gov.au

   • Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca

How to Protect Yourself in the Future

• Knowledge is Power: Remember, Binance will never call you or ask you to call a number from a text.

• Go Direct: Always navigate to websites by typing the URL yourself. Never click on links in unsolicited emails or texts.

• Enable Robust 2FA: Use an authenticator app, not SMS, for your 2FA on all financial and email accounts.

• Slow Down: Scammers rely on urgency. If a message makes you panic, take a breath and verify the information through official channels.

You Are Not Alone

Falling for a sophisticated scam can be embarrassing, but these criminals are experts at manipulation. The most important thing you can do is take action to secure your accounts and report the crime to help prevent others from becoming victims.

ScamHelp.net is dedicated to providing free, unbiased information to help consumers avoid and report scams. For the latest scam alerts and advice, bookmark our site and check back regularly. Together, we can build a more informed and scam-aware community.