Chapter 2: Fake Contracts and Copycat Tokens

Names are not proof

Anyone can create a token with a familiar name or symbol. A fake token can look real in a wallet or on a swap screen. The contract address is the important identifier.

Use official links first

Start from the project website, lightpaper or official community links. Do not search a token name and click the first result without checking. Search results, ads and copied posts can lead to duplicates.

Compare the full address

Many people only compare the first and last characters of a contract. That is better than nothing, but not enough for serious checks. Copy the address from the official source and compare it carefully before adding or swapping.

Check liquidity and holders

A fake contract may have no real liquidity, strange holder distribution or no trading history. These checks do not guarantee safety, but they often reveal obvious traps.

The useful habit

Never buy a token only because the symbol looks right. Verify contract, chain, liquidity and official source before the first swap.