XRP Holder Loses $16.8K in Payment Request Scam as Fake ‘Safe XRPL Verify Message’ Drains 14,646 XRP

An XRP holder has lost 14,646 XRP, worth about $16,800, after falling victim to a payment request scam on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). 

The incident has sparked interest in the XRP community, as a fraudulent transaction request disguised as a verification prompt. Notably, the scam involved a transaction with the hash “84AFDEB4…FBA5FD.”

Fake XRP Rewards Offer Tricked Victim

The victim was attracted by a promise of “10% monthly rewards” and a memo attached to the transaction request that read, “Safe XRPL verify message.”

However, the word “Safe” gave the transaction no legitimacy. A scammer created the memo to make the request appear official and trustworthy.

The victim eventually approved the pre-filled transaction request. As a result, 14,646 XRP was sent to the address “rNVdQM2A…wwbmH3,” which has since been flagged as fraudulent on XRPL explorers.

How XRPL Payment Requests Work

Meanwhile, payment requests are a legitimate feature on the XRP Ledger. They are supported by wallets such as Xaman and allow users to receive pre-filled payment requests through links or QR codes.

These requests include a destination address, payment amount, and an optional memo. Users normally review the details and approve the transaction if everything looks correct.

The feature is common for invoices, peer-to-peer payments, and tipping. However, scammers abuse it by creating requests that imitate verification messages or reward programs.

Always Double-Check Transactions

Following the incident, XRP community members urged users to be extra cautious. They noted that terms like “safe,” “verify,” or “reward” do not prove a transaction is legitimate.

Users should also verify destination addresses through blockchain explorers such as Bithomp or XRPScan before signing any transaction.

Investors should also avoid unsolicited links and offers promising unusually high returns. Notably, legitimate projects rarely require users to send XRP first in exchange for rewards or account verification.

The incident is another reminder that blockchain transactions are irreversible. A single mistaken approval permanently transfers funds to scammers.

Reacting to the incident, X user Wade Canell disclosed he traced his stolen assets to a specific exchange account and provided the information to law enforcement. According to the comment, efforts to have the funds frozen were unsuccessful, and the user expressed frustration with the response from local authorities.

Another user, Agent_Sam20, said he previously lost 40,000 XRP in a scam and urged others to carefully review every transaction before approving it. He noted that while stolen funds are traceable on-chain, recovery is far from guaranteed, even when incidents are reported quickly.