Scam patterns
Fake listings and borrowed exchange credibility
A screenshot of an announcement is easy to copy and difficult to date.
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In this article
A fake listing announcement borrows an exchange's reputation to create urgency around a token. A genuine listing can also be exaggerated into a claim that the exchange guarantees the asset. These are separate errors.
Verify the exact announcement
Open the exchange's official announcement channel independently. Check the asset identifier, network, trading pair, date and any regional limitations. A perpetual contract, custody support, a price page and a spot listing are different products.
Before a launch, scammers may circulate a false contract address or claim that users must migrate tokens to participate. An accurate project name does not authenticate those instructions. Do not use the message that makes the claim as its only source.
Even a genuine listing does not remove issuer, liquidity or concentration risk. The venue has its own commercial criteria, and a buyer still needs to understand the asset. Read token identity and private allocation terms.
Sources
- MASTR: Crypto Survival Guide, four original panels
- MASTR Research: From Decentralisation to Attention Capture, July 2026
Research checked 5 September 2026. Historical cases retain the date and legal status of the cited record.