Fake RPC Nodes, Fake Balances.

Scammers often impersonate "partner platforms" to trick users into adding fake nodes, leading to illegal asset transfers. The article analyzes these scams and offers safety tips.

At TokenPocket, we have natively integrated official and reliable RPC nodes for major public blockchains such as Ethereum, BNB Chain, TRON, Bitcoin, etc. All on-chain interactions—including transfers, asset displays, and approvals—can be securely executed within this default environment, without the need to add any custom RPC nodes.

However, we've recently seen a rise in scam attempts where attackers impersonate “partner platforms” to trick users into adding fake RPC nodes, ultimately leading to unauthorized asset transfers. Below are common scam tactics and how to identify them:

⚠️ Scam Tactics Explained

❗ Scam #1: “Add RPC Node to View Assets” Trap After investing on a high-risk third-party DApp, the platform claims that the withdrawal has been “successfully transferred,” but the user must “add a custom RPC node” to display the balance. This is a trick to lure users into unsafe environments.

❗ Scam #2: “Buy Crypto Below Market Price” Scam Scammers send messages via social platforms offering mainstream tokens (like ETH or USDT) at below-market prices. They guide victims to import a malicious custom RPC node, proceed with the transaction, and show a fake balance that can’t be sold or transferred.

❗ Scam #3: “Funds Locked, Pay to Unlock” Fraud Scammers often promise to send free crypto to new users and walk them through downloading a wallet, adding a fake custom RPC node, and sharing their address. On this fake RPC node, a fabricated token balance appears—but the assets are not real. The scammer then claims the funds are “locked” and demands an “unlock fee” to access them.

🔍 Scam Breakdown: How Fake Nodes Deceive You

Fake nodes falsify on-chain data — there's no real transaction recorded on the mainnet.

🧾 How to verify: Open TokenPocket or a public blockchain explorer to check the transaction history of the address.If there's no incoming transaction, it’s a scam.

⚠️ Scammers may claim the explorer is “lagging” or “bugged.” But on EVM-compatible networks or TRON, legitimate transfers are confirmed within 1–2 minutes. Even in rare cases of network congestion, transaction records are never delayed this long.Don’t fall for the “delayed confirmation” excuse.

🔐 No Such Thing as “Locked” $ETH or $USDT

In real blockchain transfers, mainstream assets like $ETH and $USDT do not have any lock mechanism preventing withdrawal after receipt.

Those “locked balances” you see? They’re fake data forged by the fake node — not actual tokens you received.

💰 Any request for a “fee to unlock” or “unlock payment” is 100% a scam.

Why Can Fake RPC Nodes Trick You with “Rising Token Prices”?

Fake RPC nodes = Maliciously deployed custom RPC servers They can: 🔸 Return fake token prices (e.g., artificially “pumped” values) 🔸 Display fake DEX liquidity and charts 🔸 Create illusionary arbitrage opportunities

🧠 The truth: You’re seeing a fake “world” controlled by the attacker — not real on-chain data. Those “skyrocketing prices” aren’t on-chain; they only exist in the illusion your wallet is being fed by a malicious node.

🛡 No Tricks Needed — TokenPocket Already Has It All

TokenPocket natively supports hundreds of chains like TRON, BNBChain, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Solana, etc. ✅ Stablecoin Transfers ✅ Built-in DApps and Cross-Chain Bridge ✅ Gas Subsidy & Fee Optimization

🚫 No need for shady “custom RPC nodes” or third-party extensions. If you see phrases like:

• “Free RPC Node Access”

• “Super-Fast Transfers RPC Node”

• “TP Wallet Official RPC Node Partner” ⚠️ Be Alert — It’s likely a trap.

TokenPocket Security Reminder:

We’ve added risk alerts when adding custom RPC nodes.

Protect your assets — never trust unknown RPC endpoints.