By Alex Carter, Editor at GetVerifyCode
Yes, an unexpected "Coinbase withdrawal code" text is very likely a phishing scam. Middlesex County, New Jersey, warned in September 2025 that these texts pair a fake code or withdrawal notice with a phone number to call, so a scammer can talk you into handing over your login or codes. Don't call, reply or share anything.
Key facts
- Middlesex County NJ issued a fraud alert on September 4, 2025 about a nationwide surge in Coinbase withdrawal code texts.
- The county lists unknown senders, unsolicited OTP codes or withdrawal notices, requests to call a number to "verify" activity, and urgent wording or spelling errors as warning signs.
- The FTC says you can forward spam texts to 7726 (SPAM) and report them at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, even if you didn't lose money.
- If you called the number in the text, the county recommends changing your password.
Is the Coinbase withdrawal code text a scam?
In most cases, yes. The alert describes it as a phishing scam sent by text to cell phone users, using Coinbase's name because it is a widely used crypto exchange. The message tries to make you think money is about to leave your account, so you call the number it gives you. The person who answers is not Coinbase. Their goal is to get your login details, your codes or your account activity. A text can look official and still be fake, so judge it by what it asks you to do, not by the brand name in it.
What the scam text looks like
These texts usually read like a security notice. Based on the warning signs the county lists, expect some mix of:
- A short "withdrawal code" or one-time code you never requested.
- A claim that a withdrawal or transfer is pending or was just approved.
- A phone number to call if "this wasn't you".
- Pressure to act now, sometimes with odd spelling or grammar.
- A sender number that has nothing to do with Coinbase.
The code in the text is bait. It exists to make the warning feel real and to get you on the phone.
Warning signs
The Middlesex County alert lists these key indicators, noting that they are not the only ones:
- Messages from unknown numbers that are not associated with Coinbase.
- Unsolicited OTP (one-time password) codes or withdrawal notifications.
- Requests to call a phone number to "verify" account activity.
- Spelling errors or extremely urgent language.
The FTC adds a broader rule for any message: scammers pressure you to act quickly, and they ask for personal or financial information. If a text does both, treat it as a scam.
What to do if you got one
- Don't call the number in the text, and don't reply to it.
- Don't tap any link in the message.
- If you have a Coinbase account, check it only through the official app or a website address you type in yourself, never through the text.
- Don't give anyone your login details, codes or account activity, as the county alert advises.
- Block the sender and report the message as junk or spam in your messaging app.
- Copy the message and forward it to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can spot and block similar texts, as the FTC suggests.
What to do if you already called or shared a code
If you called the number or gave something away, act quickly:
- Change your Coinbase password, as the county alert recommends. If you use the same password anywhere else, change it there too, which the FTC advises for any password given to a scammer.
- If you shared any financial information, call your bank or card company.
- Check your account through the official app for activity you don't recognise.
- If someone later offers to "help" you recover lost money, don't give them money or personal information. The FTC warns this is probably a fake refund scam.
- If you believe you are being victimized, the county says to call 911 or your local police department.
Where to report it
- Your messaging app: report the text as junk or spam.
- Your carrier: forward the text to 7726 (SPAM).
- Coinbase: the county alert says to send a screenshot of the phishing text to [email protected].
- The FTC: report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC can't accept forwarded messages, so paste the text into the comments field and don't click its links.
- The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center: the county alert also points to ic3.gov.
- Outside the US, the FTC points people to econsumer.gov.
Why scammers use a "code" in the text
Real one-time codes are meant to be typed into a screen you opened yourself, never read out to a person. Scammers borrow the look of these codes because people trust them. See what a verification code is and what OTP means for how genuine codes work. The same pattern shows up with other brands; read why you got a Google code you didn't request and why you got a Link verification code text. The simple rule holds everywhere: no real service needs you to read a code back to a caller.
Keep your main number for accounts that matter
Your bank, crypto and other financial accounts belong on your own personal number, because you'll need it for recovery and identity checks. Keeping that number off random sign-up forms can cut down on how many strangers have it. Read how to keep your personal number private for the full approach. Never use a temporary number for Coinbase or any financial account.
Top up your wallet from $1. Each number is priced live per service and country. Some apps reject virtual numbers. Acceptance is decided by the app, not by us.
Using a temporary number to protect your privacy, travel, or test your own app is generally lawful in many places, but laws differ by country and each app sets its own terms. Check both. Never use it for fraud, impersonation, or getting around a ban. See are temporary phone numbers legal.
Related guides
- What Is a Verification Code? SMS Codes Explained
- What Does OTP Mean? One-Time Passcodes Explained
- Why Did I Get a Google Code I Didn't Request?
- Shop Verification Code: Why You Got One
- How GetVerifyCode works
Want a separate number for one-off sign-ups? Get started or check pricing.
About the author: Alex Carter is the editor at GetVerifyCode. Alex tests SMS verification routes across services and countries and writes plain-language guides on receiving OTP codes safely.
GetVerifyCode is not affiliated with the apps named in this article. Follow each app's terms and local law.
FAQ
FAQ
In these scam texts, it is usually a fake code meant to make a withdrawal warning look real and get you to call a number. A genuine one-time code is something you type into an app or site you opened yourself, never something to read to a caller, so if a text pushes you to call someone about a code, treat it as phishing and check your account only through the official app.
Scammers send these texts in bulk to many phone numbers, so you can get one with no Coinbase account at all. Don't reply or call. Report it as junk, forward it to 7726 and delete it.
Yes. Middlesex County NJ issued a fraud alert in September 2025 about a nationwide surge in Coinbase withdrawal code texts that ask people to call a number to "verify" account activity.
Change your password, change it anywhere else you reused it, and call your bank if you shared financial details. You can also report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Forward it to 7726 (SPAM), report it as junk in your messaging app, send a screenshot to [email protected] as the county alert suggests, and file a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
