On December 29, 2025, blockchain investigator ZachXBT dropped a bombshell exposé on X, revealing a sophisticated Coinbase support impersonation scam that allegedly drained over $2 million in cryptocurrency from victims over the past year through relentless social engineering.
The alleged perpetrator, identified as a Canadian threat actor named Haby (Havard) operating from the Abbotsford/Vancouver area, posed as legitimate Coinbase help desk representatives. Using tactics like fake phone calls, urgent warnings about account issues, and requests for seed phrases/private keys or transfers to “secure” wallets, the scammer tricked users into handing over control of their funds. A leaked video shared by ZachXBT shows the suspect in a live call with a victim, offering phony customer support while extracting sensitive info.
The stolen crypto was reportedly squandered on luxury splurges: rare/high-end social media usernames (Telegram/X), bottle service at clubs, and heavy gambling — with the scammer boasting openly on social platforms, which ironically aided the trace. Wallet analysis linked multiple thefts, including a $44K XRP grab in late 2024 and ongoing drains exceeding $560K in early 2025.
This case underscores a broader 2025 trend: social engineering and access control failures drove the majority of Web3 losses (per Hacken’s report: ~$3.95B total, up sharply YoY), far outpacing smart contract exploits. Coinbase repeatedly warns users: Never share seed phrases, 2FA codes, or transfer funds to external “safe” wallets at the direction of anyone claiming to be support — real Coinbase staff will never ask for this. Always verify through official channels (app/website only) and report suspicious activity directly.
The exposé ignited massive discussions on X starting December 29–30, 2025, with traders, security experts, and victims sharing stories, warnings, and calls for better protections amid rising impersonation threats in crypto.
#Crypto dominates global discussions with massive volume.
#Bitcoin remains a top trend with huge activity.
#Blockchain stays highly active in security debates.
#CryptoNews is buzzing with scam exposés.
#Scam surges amid the ZachXBT reveal.
#Coinbase gains traction in support scam talks.
#Web3 continues strong in fraud prevention conversations.
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