Coinbase
Coinbase has been named in 3 documented digital harm incidents. The most common harm domain is Fraud & Financial.
Documented Incidents
3Elderly man loses hundreds of thousands of dollars to Coinbase impersonation scam via phone calls
A New York-based scammer named Christian Nieves, operating under the aliases "Daytwo" and "PawsOnHips," stole over $4 million from Coinbase users through a social engineering scam. The scam involved impersonating Coinbase customer support during phone calls and tricking victims into providing access to pre-compromised crypto wallets. The scam occurred between November 2024 and June 2025, with evidence including call recordings, Discord messages, and blockchain data published on June 23. Nieves used stolen funds to purchase luxury goods and gamble on crypto betting sites like Roobet under the username "pawsonhips." Some victims, including an elderly man, lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Nieves was not acting alone; accomplices helped manage the fake support center and track wallet inflows.
Maryland woman loses $3 million in crypto pig butchering scam via Korean messaging app
A Maryland woman lost over $3 million in a cryptocurrency "pig butchering" scam after being targeted through a Korean messaging app. The scammer, based in Southeast Asia, gained her trust over several weeks and convinced her to invest in fake crypto accounts, initially directing her to legitimate platforms like Coinbase before moving to fraudulent sites. The FBI Baltimore field office became involved through its Operation Level Up initiative and warned that scammers often coach victims on what to say to avoid detection. The victim admitted she ignored red flags and became desperate as she invested more money, ultimately losing everything. The FBI reported that 76% of cryptocurrency investment fraud victims are unaware they are being scammed, and as of January 2025, 4,323 victims nationwide have been notified. In a related case, an 80-year-old Maryland man lost his life savings through a similar scam and later took his own life.
Denver man loses $176,000 to Coinbase impersonation scam via fake customer support call and phishing email, recovering $95,000 with assistance from FBI
A Denver man named Glen Fishman lost $176,000 in a cryptocurrency scam in November 2024 after a caller impersonated a Coinbase customer support representative. The scammer convinced Fishman that he needed to unlock his account and sent him a fake email that appeared to be from Coinbase. Fishman followed the scammer’s instructions, uploading his ID, passport, and eventually his account password. After realizing the scam, Fishman discovered all his funds had been drained and sold. Law enforcement, including the FBI, recovered $95,000 of the stolen funds, but it may take up to a year for Fishman to regain the money. Fishman said the financial loss has delayed his retirement and caused significant emotional distress.