Series · Web3 Safety

Airdrop Safety: The Complete Guide

Fake airdrops are an industry — rented drainer kits, stockpiled domains, hijacked channels — and it harvests one thing: signatures. This series maps the whole machine and builds the workflow that survives it. Start with the checklist, or read top to bottom.

The short version. Wallet drainers stole about $494M in 2024 and $83.85M in 2025, running largely on fake claim pages. The page is fakeable; the signature is real. Claim with a dedicated wallet, read every prompt, and never navigate to a claim site from search, ads, or DMs.

Start here

If you only read three pieces, read these.

Attack map

How fake airdrops are built, delivered, and found.

Signatures

Where the theft actually happens.

Field guides

Adjacent safety guides worth the detour.

Go deeper on adjacent vectors

The same mechanics, one level down.

Key concepts in the glossary: wallet drainer, airdrop, Permit2, permit sign phishing, fake token, dusting attack, phishing.