Coinbase texted me to approve a withdrawal I didn't request, is it fake?
Last reviewed: 2026-08-01 · Checked with Hunch’s on-device engine, the same one inside the extension. How Hunch checks →
Part of our guide: How to secure and recover a hacked account →
It's a scam. A "withdrawal of X BTC is pending, approve or cancel within 24 hours" text that links to coinbase-approve.example is designed to panic you into logging in on a fake page. Coinbase shows withdrawal activity inside the app you log into yourself, not through an SMS link to a look-alike. The made-up withdrawal is the hook that makes you rush to "cancel" and hand over your credentials.
Got a message like this? Paste it here →
The sight of your own crypto "leaving" triggers immediate alarm, and the scam converts that alarm into a hurried click to stop it. Because withdrawals really are irreversible, the pressure feels justified, and users who don't know Coinbase's real cancel flow can end up verifying on coinbase-approve.example and handing the thief exactly what they need.
Illustrative example of the pattern, not a real message someone received.
How to verify it yourself
- Don't click. Open the official Coinbase app yourself and check pending transactions, a real withdrawal shows there.
- Read the domain: Coinbase uses coinbase.com, not coinbase-approve.example or any add-on host.
- Coinbase never asks for your seed phrase or 2FA code to "cancel" a transfer.
- If a withdrawal is genuinely pending, freeze it from inside the official app and contact in-app support.
Common questions
is coinbase-approve.example a real Coinbase page
No. Coinbase lives at coinbase.com. coinbase-approve.example is a fake built to capture your login and empty your wallet.
did someone request a withdrawal from my Coinbase
Check the official app before believing it. If no withdrawal is pending there, the text fabricated one to make you click.
how do I cancel a Coinbase withdrawal safely
Open the real app, review pending transactions, and cancel or freeze from inside it, never through a link in a text message.
does Coinbase text you to approve withdrawals
Withdrawal confirmations appear in the app and verified email, not as SMS links to a separate domain with a deadline.
If you already responded
- If you logged in on the fake page, change your Coinbase password and reset 2FA from the official app immediately.
- If you shared a recovery phrase, move any funds to a new wallet you control right away.
- Report it to the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov and alert Coinbase support inside the app.
Source: FBI IC3
Hunch is not affiliated with Coinbase. Coinbase is named only to describe a scam that impersonates it; the real Coinbase does not send these messages.