How to Check if a Token Is a Scam: 6-Step Checklist
How do you check if a token is a scam before buying? Confirm the contract address from an official source, check that the token has real liquidity and who controls it, review how supply is spread across wallets, test whether the token can be sold, and look at its age and contract permissions. No single check proves a token is safe. Why should you check a token before buying? Anyone can create a token on a public blockchain in a few minutes, and anyone can list it on a decentralized exchange by adding a trading pair. There is no review step before the first trade. That openness lets genuine projects launch quickly, but it also lets bad actors copy a popular name, attract buyers and disappear. Most token scams fall into a small number of patterns. The creator removes the liquidity from the pool, the contract blocks ordinary holders from selling, a few wallets dump a large share of supply, or a fake copy imitates a well-known token. Each pattern leaves traces on the chain. A short routine...