Dechat, a Web3 communication protocol, mistakenly linked to a honeypot PancakeSwap pool in its official token launch announcement on Feb. 26. This error, highlighted by on-chain researcher ZachXBT, led to rapid amendments by Dechat.
The Honeypot Scam
A honeypot crypto scam involves a malicious smart contract with hidden traps designed to attract user investments before stealing the funds. Following the discovery, Dechat promptly deleted the initial post and shared a new announcement with an amended PancakeSwap link.
Community Criticism and Response
The mistake drew widespread criticism from the community, with some users claiming to have lost funds due to the erroneous honeypot link. Despite this incident, Dechat's new utility token, DECHAT, was launched for trading on Feb. 26 and has been listed on several exchanges, including KuCoin, Bybit, and Gate.
Growing Concerns
Honeypot scams are becoming increasingly prevalent, with malicious actors able to create a new honeypot contract in as little as 30 minutes. These scams exploit user trust and can result in significant financial losses.
The Dechat incident serves as a reminder of the importance of due diligence and caution in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, where security vulnerabilities can lead to severe consequences for users.
You clowns literally linked a honeypot for your own token launch. pic.twitter.com/ioUYRryMuR
— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) February 26, 2024