The Best Cryptocurrency Hardware Wallets And The Scam That Comes With Them

Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency Hardware Wallet Scam: How It Works

Bitcoin is one of the things that has created a phenomenal buzz around the world in the last couple of years. While many people are still in the self-educational stages regarding the cryptocurrency niche, many are already ahead when in regards to what is about to be the hottest financial fashion around. Let's take a look not only at the safest ways of storing your coins but also at a scary scam that's been going on in the last week.

When it comes to the investment in cryptocurrencies and where to store them, the bitcoin hardware wallets were the perfect, natural invention. They are tamper-proof electronic devices designed to store private keys of the coins in an offline setting.

The private keys and digital signatures required to spend bitcoins are generated through these wallets. In a similar way that one sets any wallet, you need to write down the seed word (recovery phrase) on a piece of paper and save it in a secure place. As the keys are offline, there is a very tiny chance of getting hacked.

However, here is what some scammers have been doing recently to bypass the security of these great products. They sell cryptocurrency hardware wallets online, on websites like eBay or Oodle, and then send them over to the buyer along with a piece of paper that makes it look like it's part of the manufacturer's instructions brochure – see image below, credit to a victim who posted it on Reddit.

fake ledger nano seeds for cryptocurrency hardware wallet bitcoin

The piece of paper contains not only the logo of the company, but also a scratch-off portion covered with silver foil/paint where the user can find his 24-word recovery seed in case the wallet is lost or stolen.

Bitcoin hardware wallets activate these word recovery seeds automatically when the first user initializes the device – which means the scammers already activated the wallets, printed the recovery seeds and sent them along to the victim as a ‘courtesy gesture from the manufacturing company'.

The silver foil/paint gives the buyer a sense of authenticity. Since the crypto wallet is a new product, and the user (victim) is not familiar with it, he will lose all his investments once he deposits them into the device – as the criminal can access the funds with the word recovery seeds.

Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Scam: How To Avoid

As mentioned above, the seeds are generated automatically by your cryptocurrency hardware wallet when you activated. If someone else sells you the device with the PIN included you can rest assured it is a scam. Ask for a refund and notify the selling platform/website (eBay, etc).

The downside of using these great wallets is that once you lose your seed, you can't access your coins. Make sure you save your PIN in two or three different safe places.

What Are The Best Cryptocurrency Hardware Wallets?

If you want to store you cryptocurrency secure for a long time, a hardware wallet is the best option. However, most of these devices have a waiting period of a month or two due to huge demand, so you should consider ordering one soon.

Let's take a look at the Top 3 Bitcoin hardware wallets out there:

1. Trezor

trezor bitcoin cryptocurrency hardware wallet

Trezor is one of the pioneers of the hardware wallet industry. The company sets the gold standard for crypto security and is highly recommended. According to specialists and online reviews, Trezor has a reputation for providing top-notch security, protecting against both virtual and physical theft.

The device looks like a tiny calculator with an OLED screen. You can use the Trezor wallet with Android devices and with apps such as TREZOR Wallet, Mycelium, and Multibit HD. It supports nine cryptocurrencies.

The good news is, even if your computer is full of viruses, your private keys will still be safe with Trezor, which makes it more of a vault than a wallet.

You can order it HERE.

2. Ledger Nano S

ledger nano s bitcoin cryptocurrency hardware wallet

Ledger Nano is just as secure as Trezor. It is portable and easier to carry around. It is a hardware wallet that comes at a very competitive price.

It is a battery-less device and also supports nine cryptocurrencies. You can connect to a computer or mobile device via USB.

You can order it HERE.

3. KeepKey

keepkey bitcoin cryptocurrency hardware wallet

This hardware wallet has a great polished design. KeepKey seems like a premium wallet, but it is a bit heavier and hence more susceptible to drops.

It is more than two times in size than Ledger Nano S and Trezor, therefore is not so convenient to carry in your pocket. It has same backup seed key feature with pin code enabled, and it works like the other two above-mentioned wallets. KeepKey supports six cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoins).

You can order it HERE.

Technical Comparison

Now let's take a look at all three brands and have a little comparison when it comes to more technical stuff:

Ledger Nano S
Trezor
KeepKey
What's in the box?
  • Ledger Nano S
  • USB cable
  • Instructions
  • Recovery sheet
  • Keychain
  • TREZOR
  • Micro USB cable
  • Recovery seed booklet
  • User guide
  • KeepKey
  • Nylon USB cable
  • Recovery backup card
  • Quick start guide
Dimension & Weight Height: 98 mm

Width: 18 mm

Depth: 9 mm

Weight:16.2g

Height: 60 mm

Width: 30 mm

Depth: 6 mm

Weight:12 g

Height: 38 mm

Width: 93.5 mm

Depth: 12.2 mm

Weight:54 g

OLED Display & Buttons Yes Yes Yes
Compatibility Windows (7+), Mac (10.8+), Linux Windows, Linux, OS X (10.8 or higher). Windows, Mac, and Linux
Cryptocurrencies
  • Bitcoin
  • Bitcoin Cash
  • Ethereum
  • Ethereum Classic
  • Ripple
  • Litecoin
  • Dogecoin
  • Zcash
  • Dash
  • Stratis
  • Komodo
  • Ark
  • PoSW
  • ERC20 tokens
  • Bitcoin
  • Bitcoin Cash
  • Ethereum
  • Ethereum Classic
  • Namecoin
  • Litecoin
  • Dogecoin
  • Zcash
  • Dash
  • ERC20 tokens
  • Bitcoin
  • Ethereum
  • Litecoin
  • Namecoin
  • Dogecoin
  • Dash
Buy Now Buy Ledger Nano S Buy Trezor  Buy Keepkey

Cryptocurrency Hardware Wallet Unscrupulous Activities: How To Report

Warn your family and friends know about the Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Scam by sharing it using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the questionable cryptocurrency and Bitcoin activities to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:

Report To The FTC Here


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selma hrynchuk
Selma HrynchukSelma is a fraud prevention specialist renowned for her expertise in private eye investigations and a remarkable partnership with law enforcement agencies. Beyond her investigative triumphs, her public speaking engagements and written works have empowered countless individuals to protect themselves and stay ahead of deceptive schemes. Selma's legacy shines as a tenacious agent of change, unyielding in her commitment to battling fraud and ensuring a safer world for all.

5 thoughts on “The Best Cryptocurrency Hardware Wallets And The Scam That Comes With Them”

  1. I could hardly believe that these articles were written 2 years ago.
    At that time they were probably useful. Today not so much.
    Please update.

  2. I received this sneaky email below this morning, from [email protected]. Beware!

    Bitcoin. It’s one of the biggest buzzwords in the financial technology industry right now, but also one of the least understood. With cryptocurrency back in the news again, now’s a better time than ever to delve into the weeds and learn more about how to invest.

    According to findings from Coin Dance, there are currently at least 111 countries where Bitcoin is legal. The talk of it’s leegality isn’t on the news anymore instead, what we have is government, financial investment institute coming together to put in resources in order to spread more informations and guidelines on how to invest in bitcoins.

    How Does Bitcoin Work?
    Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies operate on a technology called “blockchain.” You may have heard of blockchain referred to as a “distributed, decentralized, public ledger,” but the technology is actually easier to understand than that definition sounds. At its most basic level, blockchain is literally a chain of blocks — only not in the traditional sense of those words. When we say the words “block” and “chain” in this context, we are actually talking about digital information (the “block”) stored in an online database (the “chain”).

    What We are Looking For?
    We are looking at expanding our network channels by giving Individuals the opportunity to join us by investing and making more Money. As a Financial Brooker, Our Company is looking at investing in Individuals Who are willing to Work From Home and Invest in Bitcoins to generate more funds by giving them Money to start Investing.

    What is Needed From You?
    Firstly, Anyone who is Interested should Indicate by contacting our Attorney via ([email protected]) . A representative will get back to you as soon as possible for further instruction. This is to be able to ascertain your level of interest and desire to work with us.

    Investment Package Breakdown.

    Our Investment package is in 4 places. As a beginner, All new Participant will be given a welcome bonus of 30% of your initial investment but to earn high you must invest high because the higher your investment the higher your profits.. Most recently, study have proven investors are the biggest earners of bitcoin and other crypto investment. Below is a complete breakdown of all the packages and extra benefits at no extra cost.

    1:: Bronze Premuim plan(minimum $500)

    2:: Silver Premuim plan (minimum $1000)

    3:: Golden Premuim plan (minimum $5000)

    4:: Exclusive Premuim plan (minimum $10000)

    Now this is how it works
    You need to make a minimum deposit of the amount you wish to invest and you will get returns of your earnings. These amounts are invested in funding other digital investment. If you invest $1,000 you would be earning $500 daily and at the end of 30days you make withdrawal of a total of $15,000 with addtion of your welcome bonus of 30% of your initial investment of $1,000 which will be added to your total cashout. You can choose to cash out weekly, monthly, annually. A trade will be registered for you and your funds totally secured with cashout gauranteed within 30mins upon request.

    Instructions shall be given to you. Please adhere to it. Also, Indicate by sending your Name, Address and Phone number to us at ([email protected]) and our Lawyer will get back to you.

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  3. James Priestner

    As the saying goes, “it takes money to make money” Many bitcoin investors/traders are blinded by the promise of making boatloads of cash without leaving the comfort of their couch. This is only TRUE in reality if you have the right guide and significant capital to start with. The sad truth is that you are running out of time to invest in bitcoin. Unfortunately, most beginners learn hard lessons and go broke because of scammers and lack of detailed information.

  4. Beware of Smartmix.io – It’s a scam. It’s meant to mix bitcoin, but they do not return your Bitcoin.

    Website: smartmix.io

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