It's a good reminder. These scam support numbers are all over the place. Not just Coinbase.

Posted this on Reddit previously about fake Trezor support number. Hope no one actually falls for this. What's surprising is that the scammers actually managed to get listed in the featured snippet section of the google search results.



(link: https://www.reddit.com/r/TREZOR/comments/aoihrk/fake_trezor_wallet_customer_support_pretty_sure/)

It's so alarming since these kinds of scammers will contact you via SMS. How about those people that aren't aware especially those newbies will fall on this.

I think it is from online, like on some website we register that requiring us to enter our phone numbers or any information.

I don't actually register my line phone number so I'm taking my guess that they just guessed mine?

That's probable but in my case, I don't register it with any ICO, airdrop but I have it registered on an exchange. Is it possible that someone from exchange is leaking our numbers?

Another reason why you should be giving contact numbers to these so called airdrops. Or if you really really really want it, at least submit a secondary number that you don't use elsewhere.

Remember: Airdrops ain't free. You're pretty much selling your data in exchange for mostly shitcoins that has a very very low chance on actually having value.

Probably it's an inside job which I have been faced in one of my local ride sharing service used for another purpose. Later he got caught by the authority.
It is also probable that our database is somehow being leaked or the hacker has hacked the database.

In many cases those scammers ask for account details to solve any issue from their end. I have faced this kind of situation with my mobile banking system. They call me from a different number and acting as a real authority. After a little talk they ask me to provide my mobile banking secret pin number to update my account...I just answered them "Hey baby I am a scam catcher, you are in the wrong place, Lets gossip man" . I think this fake coinbase scammers are trying something like this.

Is it can be random message that user don't have account there also receiving the messages. ( Scammers are putting wild guess.)

Most likely , Data is sold by coinbase themselves ( as they acknowledged to selling the data.) .Look like in further reselling that list now gone to the scammers.

Then don't trust them.

The whole point of bitcoin is to be trustless, and not having to place your trust in a third party to look after your money. The same applies to your data. Even "reputable" companies like Coinbase have admitted to selling their customers' data without their knowledge or consent. You have no idea who any of the employees of these companies are, and you have no idea which ones have access to your data. You have no idea what these companies' security set ups are, and they are very unlikely to tell you if your data has been hacked because that's bad for business. And that's the "reputable" ones. The majority of smaller entities like ICOs, airdrops, IEOs, etc., are almost certainly selling any data they get for profit.

I've never had a crypto-related text because I've never given out my phone number to any crypto-related company, ever.

Unfortunately, we can. It was all over the media a month or two ago:

https://cointelegraph.com/news/coinbase-former-provider-sold-user-data-to-third-parties-prompting-neutrino-acquisition
https://smartereum.com/48510/coinbase-scandal-institutional-sales-director-christine-sandler-says-coinbase-providers-were-selling-client-data-to-external-sources-deletecoinbase/
https://www.thenewpaper.io/2019/03/coinbase-admits-to-the-selling-of-client-data/
https://ambcrypto.com/coinbase-providers-were-selling-client-data-to-outside-sources-says-sales-director-explains-why-xrp/

Here's the interview with Christine Sandler, Coinbase exec and head of sales, admitting that clients' data was being sold to third parties. Also, this was the first anyone heard of it; even users whose data was sold weren't advised that it had happened. All round untrustworthy behavior from Coinbase.

However, although Coinbase are in the news for it, don't think it isn't happening elsewhere. I would bet a lot of bitcoin that other exchanges are doing the exact same thing.

Very correct giving out personal contact and documents through KYC of most airdrop can provide scammers your data and they use it as some form of scamming activities like fake email and giving link to phishing site or scammers calling trying to get some information of your account on platforms or exchange there stealing from you.