Fake Base bridge websites and how to avoid wallet draining scams
The Base network has attracted real users and real money. That also attracts real scammers. Fake bridge websites now appear in search results, social media ads, and Discord DMs, looking nearly identical to the official Base bridge. Connect your wallet, sign one transaction, and your funds are gone.
This page explains how these scams work and, more importantly, how to avoid them.
The attack vector
The scam is simple. A user searches for "Base bridge" and clicks a promoted link or a top search result. The site looks legitimate - same colors, same layout, same logo. The user connects their wallet. The site asks them to approve a transaction or sign a message. That approval gives the attacker permission to spend the user's tokens, and within seconds, the wallet is drained.
The fake bridge does not move your assets. It moves your permission.
Some variants prompt you to "migrate" tokens or claim a "bridge reward." None of that is real. The only thing being migrated is your balance into the scammer's wallet.
How to verify the official Base bridge
The official Base bridge is hosted at bridge.base.org. That is the only URL. Any variation - bridge-base.org, base-bridge.com, bridgebase.network - is fake. Check the domain before you connect anything.
Bookmark the official URL. Do not rely on search results. Do not click ad links. Scammers buy ads for search terms like "base bridge" and "bridge to base." The ad looks official; the result is not.
Verify contract addresses on BaseScan
Every real Base bridge transaction interacts with a known contract. You can look it up on BaseScan. The official bridge contract for depositing ETH into Base is 0x49048044D57e1C92A77f79988d21Fa8fAF74E97e, and that address does not change.
If a site asks you to interact with a contract you cannot verify on BaseScan, do not proceed. If the contract was deployed last week and has two transactions, it is not the bridge.
Use wallet transaction simulation
Before you sign anything, simulate the transaction. Rabby Wallet includes this feature by default. It shows you exactly what will happen if you approve the transaction. If the simulation shows your tokens being sent to an unknown address, reject it.
MetaMask does not simulate by default. You can use third-party tools like revoke.cash or approve.zone to check active approvals, but simulation before signing is better. If you do not recognize what a transaction does, do not sign it.
Never approve infinite token allowances
Many fake bridges ask for an "unlimited" approval, meaning the scammer can drain every token in your wallet - not just the one you tried to bridge. Real bridges ask for a specific amount. If the approval request says "unlimited" or "infinite," stop immediately.
You can check your existing allowances on Etherscan or BaseScan. Revoke any that look suspicious. If you have approved a fake bridge in the past, revoke that approval now.
Social engineering via fake support
Scammers do not stop at fake websites. They set up fake Base support accounts on Discord and Twitter. They message users who ask questions in public channels, offering to "help" with bridging issues. Their help involves a link to a fake site.
Real Base support does not message you first. Real support does not ask for your seed phrase or private key. Real support does not send you links to bridge sites. If someone DMs you with help, it is a scam.
Zero fees beyond gas
The official Base bridge charges exactly zero fees beyond the gas cost of the transaction. If a site shows a "bridge fee" of 0.5%, 1%, or any percentage, it is fake. If it asks for a flat fee in ETH or USDC, it is fake. The Base bridge is free. That is not a promotional claim; it is how the protocol works.
Any site charging a fee is running a scam.
What to do if you have been scammed
If you approved a malicious transaction, revoke the approval immediately. Use revoke.cash or the token approval tool on BaseScan. If the scammer already drained your wallet, the funds are likely gone. Report the scam to the domain registrar. Report the wallet address to BaseScan and any relevant block explorer. Do not pay anyone who claims they can recover your funds. That is a second scam.
Bottom line
The official Base bridge is at bridge.base.org. It has no fees. It uses one known contract. It does not need unlimited approvals. If any detail does not match, you are on a fake site.
Disconnect your wallet. Close the tab. Find the real bridge.
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