A Solana wallet tested a fake address with $10, then sent $30,749 to it
Fake address test leads to $30,749 loss
A Solana wallet performed a $10 test transfer to a legitimate address. Shortly after, a lookalike fake address received a $10 test and then $30,749.80 in USDT, according to a November 2025 case reported by blockchain data firm Bitquery.
The fake address was introduced through a technique called address poisoning. This method plants a misleading entry in a wallet’s payment history, making a copied address go to the wrong recipient.
Key numbers
- Bitquery counted 4,497,798 Solana wallets that were targeted over an 11‑month period from Oct. 30, 2025, to Oct. 7, 2026.
- In one documented case, a $10 USDT test was followed by $30,749.80 sent to the same lookalike address.
- A separate subset of roughly 3 million wallets identified up to July 9, 2026, resulted in $940,106 lost across 1,104 wallets that met the study’s filters.
Confirmed findings
Bitquery’s research defines address poisoning as a same‑day payment of at least $1 in SOL, USDC or USDT, followed by a dust transfer or fake stablecoin token from a different address that matches at least three characters at each end of the payee.
The loss analysis counted payments of $1 or more within 90 days of the first dust transfer. Wallets with earlier relationships or repayments were excluded, and the reported $940,106 is considered a floor figure because some larger thefts may not meet the filters.
Phantom wallet guidance advises users to verify the exact recipient address and network before sending, and to check transaction status on an explorer. Phantom cannot recover tokens sent to the wrong address.
Uncertainties remain
The total number of targeted wallets (4.5 million) does not equal the number of confirmed losses, and the reported loss figure may understate the true damage because wallets poisoned after July 9 or payments outside the 90‑day window were excluded.
Why this matters
Address poisoning scams exploit the way wallet history is displayed. A small test transfer confirms that a copied address is reachable, but it does not prove who controls it. Users who copy an address from history can unknowingly send large payments to scammers.
The research shows how a simple $10 test can be part of a larger fraud scheme, highlighting the need for careful address verification before any transaction.
What users can do
Phantom’s guidance recommends checking the exact recipient address and network, then confirming the transaction on a blockchain explorer. Users should avoid copying addresses from transaction history and should double‑check each character before sending funds.
Sources
Newisty Editorial Team covers technology, cryptocurrency, digital products, online platforms, developer tools and the wider digital economy. Our content is researched from official sources, company announcements, public documentation, market data and other primary or reputable sources. Articles are reviewed and edited before publication for clarity, accuracy and useful context.