If one thing is true, it is that scammers never take days off when it comes to ripping people off, and in some creative ways. Recently, these individuals are now sending phishing attacks straight to the mailbox, targeting Ledger wallet owners with fake letters carefully engineered to extract seed phrases under the guise of security upgrades.
The scheme came to light after tech analyst Jacob Canfield posted one of the letters he received at home. It mimics official Ledger branding and includes a QR code that directs recipients to a site asking for their 24-word recovery phrase. The language is precise and coercive, threatening that failure to comply with a so-called “critical security update” could restrict access to the wallet and its contents.
Ledger responded publicly, reiterating its standard warning: the company never asks for a recovery phrase and any request to provide one — regardless of method — is an attempted theft.
“Please don’t engage with accounts claiming to be Ledger employees or anyone offering to help recover funds,” the company posted after Canfield’s disclosure.
This isn’t a random trend going on. It likely ties back to the July 2020 breach that exposed names, phone numbers, and home addresses of over 270,000 Ledger customers.
That database has been floating in the open for years. What’s changed is the tactic —physical mail instead of phishing emails or fake websites. A few years ago, some users even reported receiving counterfeit Ledger devices, preloaded with malware and delivered in official-looking packaging.
But it doesn’t matter what method scammers use. It’s the basic premise of self-security and education in crypto; any interaction that involves typing a seed phrase outside your own device is a theft attempt —whether it comes through a phishing link or your front door.
Here are a few tips on how to secure your Ledger wallet.
How to Secure Your Ledger Device
Protecting yourself from Ledger scams (and any other crypto attacks, for that matter) starts with one rule: never share your recovery phrase. Not during an update, not for verification, not under any circumstance.
If someone is asking for it, they’re trying to drain your wallet. No legitimate company needs your seed phrase, and no secure system requires it to be entered online. The only place it belongs is your hardware wallet during setup or recovery. Here are the three most important tips to securing your Ledger wallet:
- Beware of impersonators: Ledger has made it clear they don’t contact users through unofficial channels. If you get a message on WhatsApp, Telegram, by phone, or through the mail claiming to be from Ledger, it’s fake. Official communication is limited to specific domains and verified social accounts. Anything else should be treated as a phishing attempt.
- Keep your seed phrase offline and physically secure: Metal backups outperform paper. Use two-factor authentication on every exchange account you hold. If your Ledger prompts you to approve a transaction you didn’t initiate, stop immediately. Messages claiming your device will be disabled or blocked are a red flag —that kind of threat isn’t even technically possible.
- Layer your defenses: Anti-phishing tools can help block known malicious domains before you reach them. Stick to secure browsers, and don’t follow links without verifying the destination manually. When dealing with crypto, assuming deception is safer than assuming legitimacy.
Again, if you receive a suspicious message, impersonation attempt, or phishing website, act. Report it. Cut off the signal. There’s no upside to staying silent while others walk into the same trap.
This is not about paranoia. It’s about rejecting the bait before the hook sets.
Related: Scam Alert: OKX Warns of Fake Firefox Plugins Draining User Wallets, While Kaspersky Alerts to Seed Phrase Trap
