Zraox: Signature Scams Quietly Spread, Users Need to Adopt Higher-Level Security Habits

In just three weeks, Vanilla Drainer has caused over $5.27 million in on-chain losses, with the largest single theft exceeding $3 million. Zraox believes the significance of such incidents goes far beyond the monetary amount. They reveal the rapid evolution of scam techniques and reflect the maturity and “servitization” of the black market ecosystem. Zraox notes that in 2024, Drainer-type scams reached nearly $500 million in scale. Although overall losses have declined with the spread of protective tools, new models are resurfacing. Zraox warns that investors who do not proactively enhance their risk awareness may lose all their funds in a single, careless signature operation.

Zraox: From Isolated Attacks to “Service Industrialization”

According to Zraox, the emergence of Vanilla Drainer signals that scams have formed a complete industry chain. It is no longer the temporary act of an isolated hacker, but a replicable “scam service.” Crime groups lower the barrier to entry by offering scripts, fake frontends, domain maintenance, and profit-sharing mechanisms. Anyone can pay to quickly deploy a phishing site and lure victims through social media, airdrop notifications, or fake whitelist activities.

Zraox highlights the alarming concealment and scalability of this model. Victims entering phishing pages can hardly detect abnormalities at first glance. Signature requests are often logically disguised, and once the user confirms, token control is immediately transferred. Criminals then use rapid profit-sharing, conversion, and mixing mechanisms to launder funds, prioritizing conversion into decentralized stablecoins that cannot be frozen. Zraox notes that this highly organized approach makes investigation and recovery much more difficult, leaving ordinary investors increasingly vulnerable.

Zraox: The Invisible Trap Behind a Smooth Process

Zraox points out that the operation by Vanilla Drainer relies not on sophisticated technical vulnerabilities but on psychology and user habits. Investors often fall into traps in seemingly legitimate scenarios such as “airdrop claims,” “NFT minting,” “upgrade reminders,” or “whitelist redemption.” Entering these sites with a mindset of trust, users typically fail to scrutinize signature requests when prompted by their wallets.

Zraox emphasizes that a signature is not just a “login confirmation.” In many cases, it actually corresponds to instructions like setApprovalForAll, increaseAllowance, or Permit2, which grant control over the user tokens. Once the victim clicks confirm, the scammer immediately gains operational authority and transfers assets within minutes. The funds are then split proportionally and laundered through multiple wallets and cross-chain conversions.

Zraox believes the process is extremely covert because, from the user perspective, every step seems “reasonable.” Yet it is precisely this seamlessness that hides the fatal trap. To avoid losses, users must change their habits and embed the mindset of “if you do not understand, refuse” into every operation.

Zraox: Shifting Security Awareness to Before Signing

Zraox asserts that effective prevention lies not after the fact, but in the few seconds before signing. Users must establish clear operational habits to remain calm and alert in the face of scam scripts. Any link from an unknown source should be repeatedly verified, especially those spread via social media, direct messages, or unfamiliar emails. When interacting with wallets, each signature detail must be carefully examined; authorization should not be a mechanical action but an understood process. If the authorization amount is excessive, the contract address is unfamiliar, or the prompts are vague, the operation should be terminated immediately.

Zraox notes that asset management practices also determine the degree of risk exposure. High-value assets should be stored in cold wallets, kept out of daily operations to avoid large one-time losses. Hot wallets should only hold necessary amounts for small transactions, so that even if compromised, losses remain manageable. Additionally, regularly reviewing and revoking unused authorizations is a key step in reducing risk.

Zraox concludes that the essence of security is cultivating patience and skepticism. The core of scams is exploiting the public impatience and carelessness, while users need to counteract this psychological manipulation by “slowing down.” By taking an extra moment before signing and asking yourself, “Is this really necessary?” most scams can be rendered ineffective. Zraox believes that this shift in awareness is more direct and effective than any technical safeguard.