Midnight Discord & Its Relationship With Scammers

Behind the scenes with Dips: How scammers operate across Discord, the 12 scams targeting Web3 users, and how to stay safe.

What exactly is Discord’s relationship with scammers? Is it like a toxic ex who simply refuses to leave, or a loyal partner stuck by your side forever?

Jokes aside, is Discord genuinely concerned about the horde of scammers lurking across its channels? Or is it more focused on reporting active user metrics to compete with messaging giants?

Let’s break down the reality of Discord, scammers, and everything in between.

Flipping the Coin: The Not-So-Green Side

In my last article, I shared my journey from a Moderator to a proud Nightforcer. I highlighted everything right with the Midnight ecosystem, from incredible builders to thriving community initiatives.

Now, let’s flip the coin and look at the not-so-greener side of the field.

Discord originally launched on May 13, 2015, created by Jason Citron and Stanislav Vishnevskiy. It began as a dedicated voice and text platform for gamers to replace clunky software like Skype. I started using it back in 2016 for gaming sessions, gradually getting the hang of its setup. Back then, scam attacks were virtually unheard of, and the platform felt like an innocent hangout for friends.

Fast forward to August 2026. After moderating the Midnight Network server for ten months, I’ve seen the sheer scale of the problem. Our team runs 5 to 10 automated security bots solely to block scammers.

Yet, after more than a decade of platform growth, Discord is completely overrun with fraudsters.

The Onboarding Trap & The DM Problem

Whether you join the Midnight server or any major crypto community, the pattern is identical. The moment you enter, you get 4 to 5 friend requests from fake “Support” profiles. When I recently joined the Lace wallet server, four fake support accounts pounced within ten seconds.

This immediate spam damages server credibility and creates trust issues for newcomers.

Inside our server, our moderation team and the DICKS (Discord Information and Community Knowledge Specialists)—maintains a secure environment. Outside the server in direct messages, however, users are on their own.

Scammers constantly evolve, while platform-level protections remain slow and reactive.

It is disheartening to see the official Midnight team, fellow moderators, and myself impersonated daily. Innocent newcomers lose funds before they even get started.

“Millions down the drain, scammers score again.”

The 12 Common Discord Scams Decoded

To help you stay protected, here are the twelve most common scams operating across Discord today:

1. Direct Message Phishing: Casual DMs asking “is this you?” or “can you vote for my team?” sent from strangers or hijacked friend accounts.

2. Giveaway & Celebrity Impersonations: Fake prize announcements using deepfakes or images of personalities like MrBeast to bypass text filters.

3. Phishing Emails & Cloned Pages: Fake Discord security alerts prompting you to log into identical spoofed websites.

4. Free Nitro Offers: Links promising free Discord Nitro subscriptions that exist only to steal login credentials or payment details.

5. The “Try My Game” Malware: Requests to test an indie game that deliver password-protected archives packed with infostealer malware.

6. The “Accidental Report” Hoax: Panic-inducing messages claiming your account was reported by mistake and will be banned without contacting a fake agent.

7. Crypto & NFT Airdrop Exploits: Compromised admin accounts or malicious announcements directing users to fund-draining Web3 smart contracts.

8. Steam Trading Schemes: Fake alerts claiming your Steam inventory was reported or offering fake trading cards to hijack gaming accounts.

9. Moderator Impersonation: Cloned profiles copying the avatar, bio, and display name of official team members to extract private information.

10. Fake Servers & Paid VIP Roles: Malicious servers charging fees for fake insider access or using deceptive verification portals.

11. Malicious Verification Bots: Fake bots demanding excessive OAuth permissions, authorization tokens, or external security checks to access a server.

12. QR Code Login Traps: Prompts asking you to scan a Discord QR code for verification, which immediately hands your account access to the attacker.

How to Stay Protected & Fight Back

Recognizing the psychological tricks behind these schemes is your first line of defense. Scammers rely on artificial urgency, panic, and offers that seem too good to be true.

If you encounter suspicious activity, report it directly through official channels:

• Desktop: Right-click the suspicious message and select Report Message.

• Mobile: Tap and hold the message, select Report, and choose the abuse category.

• Compromised Accounts: Submit a ticket through Discord’s official hacked-account portal with screenshots, user IDs, and timestamps.

  

🛡️ Essential Safety Habits

Disable Server DMs: Go to User Settings ➔ Messaging Permissions ➔ Direct Messages and turn off direct messages from server members.

• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Secure your Discord, email, and crypto apps using authenticator apps rather than SMS.

• Never Scan Unverified QR Codes: Only scan QR codes you personally generate inside your own Discord client.

• Revoke Suspicious Authorized Apps: Regularly review and delete unfamiliar applications under your Discord user settings.

• Keep Software Updated: Ensure your operating system, browser, and Discord client have the latest security patches.

Final Thoughts

Discord scams rarely rely on advanced coding exploits. Instead, they depend on psychological manipulation to rush you into making a mistake.

Official Midnight staff and moderators will never DM you first, ask for seed phrases, or request your private login credentials.

Stay safe, stay vigilant, and together we can keep our community secure.

ONE TEAM, ONE DREAM! 🌌🚀

Disclaimer: All images featured in this article belong to their respective copyright owners and are used strictly for educational, illustrative, and commentary purposes.

📖 Knowledge is your best defense. To dive deeper into platform safety and security policies, explore https://discord.com/safety/protecting-users-from-scams-on-discord and the supporting articles following it.