Uniswap founder Hayden Adams warns customers after a mid-six-figure pockets was drained by a faux search advert imitating the platform.
A warning from Hayden Adams has renewed consideration on rip-off advertisements that imitate actual crypto platforms.
Adams issued the assertion after a person reported shedding a whole mid-six-figure portfolio because of a fraudulent search consequence posing because the official Uniswap web site.
Adams Warns Customers About Pretend Search Advertisements
Hayden stated on X that rip-off advertisements proceed to seem even after repeated reporting.
He added that fraudulent apps and web sites have focused Uniswap customers during times when the platform waited for approvals on official channels.
These instances usually contain serps exhibiting advertisements that look equivalent to the reputable platform.
These scams are horrible, we’ve been combating them for years
There have been rip-off Uniswap apps whereas we waited months for App Retailer approval
Rip-off advertisements maintain returning regardless of years of reporting
They ban third get together instruments like ublock that fight the difficulty
The advert financial system must go https://t.co/KCepOv8zUH
— Hayden Adams 🦄 (@haydenzadams) February 20, 2026
Scammers pay for placement in order that the faux consequence seems earlier than the true web site. Customers could click on the hyperlink believing it’s protected after which join their wallets.
The pockets connection course of can permit scammers to approve transactions that drain funds.
Crypto platforms have proven this sample for years, and Adams stated the difficulty has continued with out interruption.
Serps stay a key channel utilized by scammers. Their advertisements can mimic branding, logos, and web site layouts, and this makes it troublesome for brand new customers to detect the fraud.
Adams acknowledged that his latest warning was supposed to scale back new instances as extra studies floor.
Sufferer Stories Loss After Pretend Outcome Seems
An X person generally known as “Ika” shared an in depth account of shedding his belongings after clicking a fraudulent consequence.
He stated his pockets was drained regardless of taking care along with his on-line exercise. In an extended message, he wrote that “getting drained isn’t unhealthy luck” however somewhat the tip of a sequence of small errors.
https://t.co/dJK39tzELP
— ika (@ika_xbt) February 19, 2026
Ika additionally shared a screenshot exhibiting a faux URL marked as the highest Google consequence for Uniswap. The show appeared official, which made it troublesome to establish the rip-off.
His expertise matched earlier studies the place victims clicked comparable advertisements that used authentic-looking design and format to mislead customers.
This isn’t a brand new risk. In October 2024, scammers used a near-identical copy of the Uniswap interface that added additional buttons and redirected customers to dangerous actions.
Stories on the time indicated that the faux web site had been designed to seize wallets by means of regular person conduct.
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Crypto Rip-off Losses Rise Throughout A number of Platforms
Business knowledge exhibits that rip-off exercise elevated firstly of the 12 months. January noticed the very best quantity stolen in 11 months, with losses reaching 370.3 million USD.
This determine represented a significant rise from the identical month in 2025, and analysts famous the function of phishing and social engineering.
CertiK reported 40 exploit and rip-off instances throughout January. The biggest single loss got here from a social engineering assault that price one sufferer round 284 million USD.
These incidents present that scams proceed to have an effect on each skilled and new customers.
Safety corporations say scams usually deal with customers trying to find platforms or instruments. Pretend advertisements and fraudulent search outcomes stay among the many commonest strategies used.
These assaults depend on person belief, they usually exploit acquainted internet interfaces to realize entry to funds.