MBTrace/Guides
Guides for crypto theft victims
Practical articles on what to do after theft, how on-chain tracing works, recovery scams, police reports, wallet drainers, exchange compliance, romance-investment scams, address poisoning, fake trading apps, seed phishing, and withdrawal-fee scams — without recovery hype.
First-response checklist — Free browser-only checklist: immediate steps, exchange freeze template, and evidence for police.
My crypto was stolen: what to do in the first 24 hours
A practical first-day checklist after crypto theft: secure remaining funds, preserve evidence, avoid recovery scams, and decide when on-chain tracing helps. Not legal advice.
How to trace stolen crypto (USDT, USDC, ETH, BTC)
How on-chain tracing of stolen crypto works for USDT, USDC, ETH and BTC: hops, bridges, KYC cash-outs, confidence labels, and hard limits. Not a recovery guide.
Crypto recovery scams: how to spot fake “recovery experts”
How crypto recovery scams work after theft: fake guarantees, seed-phrase requests, upfront fees, and how honest on-chain investigation differs. Not legal advice.
How to report crypto theft to the police
How to report stolen crypto to the police with useful evidence: transaction hashes, timelines, and path reports. Generic guidance; not legal advice. Local rules vary.
Wallet drainer / approval scam: revoke approvals and secure funds
How wallet drainers and malicious token approvals work on EVM chains, how to revoke approvals, and how to secure remaining crypto. Not financial advice.
Can an exchange freeze stolen crypto? Contacting compliance
When a crypto exchange might freeze stolen funds deposits, what compliance teams need, and how an on-chain path report helps. No freeze or recovery guarantees.
Pig butchering and romance-investment scams: what victims should do
How romance and fake investment platforms work, red flags, what happens to funds on-chain, and practical next steps. No recovery promises. Not legal advice.
Crypto address poisoning: lookalike addresses and copy-paste traps
How address poisoning and dust attacks trick victims into sending crypto to lookalike wallets, how to verify addresses, and what to do after a mistaken send. Not legal advice.
Fake exchanges and fake trading apps: deposit-only platforms
How cloned trading apps and fake crypto exchanges trap deposits, invent withdrawal fees, and what evidence and on-chain tracing can (and cannot) do. Not legal advice.
Ledger, MetaMask, and seed-phrase phishing: what to do if you leaked a seed
Fake Ledger Live, MetaMask phishing sites, blind signing, and seed-entry traps — plus containment if your recovery phrase was exposed. Not legal advice. No recovery promises.
Pay a fee or tax to unlock your withdrawal: advance-fee crypto scams
Why “pay gas, tax, or AML fees to unlock withdrawals” never works, how the script chains into recovery scams, and what evidence to keep. Not legal advice.