If you own Bitcoin, you should be aware of chatter over the last few weeks about “BIP110,” “Blake2b,” and a potential chain that will split away from Bitcoin’s main network with a proof-of-work change and act as a competing network. Opinions on this fork are all over the map — some people see it as a legitimate technical effort, others call it an attention-grab or an outright scam dressed up as a protocol upgrade.
That debate isn’t what this is about; it’s about the possible scams that can and will be perpetrated during this time of uncertainty.
Whatever you think of BIP110 as a project, there is one thing that isn’t up for debate: scammers are actively using the confusion around this fork to try to steal people’s Bitcoin, right now. Community reports of phishing emails, fake “claim” sites, and direct messages pressuring people to act quickly have been increasing, and real people have already lost funds.
The Core Scam Playbook: “You Need to Claim Your Coins”
The single most common scam pattern right now is some version of: “You have Bitcoin BIP110 waiting for you — click here to claim or redeem it.”
This is false, and it’s worth remembering as a simple rule: if you held Bitcoin in a self-custody wallet before the chain split, any corresponding coins on a fork are already controlled by your existing keys. There is no third-party “claim,” “redemption,” or “unlock” process required. No legitimate fork needs you to visit a website and hand over credentials to receive coins you already own.
Any message, email, DM, or pop-up telling you there’s a deadline, or that you need to act now to “claim” or “redeem” anything, should be treated as a red flag by default.
The Specific Scams to Watch For
Fake claiming and redemption websites. These sites are designed to look official, sometimes copying the branding or language of legitimate projects. They typically ask you to connect a wallet, enter your seed phrase, or “verify” your holdings by importing your private key. The moment you do that, your funds — often on both the original chain and the fork — are exposed to the attacker.
Fraudulent wallet software.
Because the new chain doesn’t yet have verified, official wallet support, scammers have an opening to distribute fake “BIP110 wallets” that are really just seed-phrase harvesters. This is especially dangerous here because the same private keys that secure your existing Bitcoin also control the forked coins — so a single fake wallet app can put both at risk simultaneously.
Phishing and impersonation.
Watch for lookalike or misspelt domains, unsolicited “support” messages, social media accounts impersonating developers or exchanges, and any communication pushing urgency (“act now or lose your coins”). No legitimate support representative, developer, or exchange will ever ask for your seed phrase or private key — full stop.
Fake or misleading exchange listings.
Some sites may claim to support deposits, withdrawals, or trading of the forked coin when they don’t actually have any real infrastructure behind that claim. Sending funds to a site like this can simply mean sending them into a void. Support for an exchange’s regular Bitcoin service does not automatically mean it supports a new forked chain — check for an explicit, official statement before depositing or withdrawing anything related to the fork.
Sending coins to the wrong chain.
Because the two chains share transaction history and formats up to the point of the split, it’s easy to end up in a situation where a wallet, exchange, or service only supports one of the two networks, and coins sent there become difficult or impossible to recover. Before moving anything, confirm which network a service actually supports — don’t assume compatibility just because addresses or wallet software look similar.
Unsafe or unofficial “coin separation” guides.
After a chain split, some people want to separate their coins so that spending on one chain doesn’t accidentally affect the other (this is related to something called a replay attack, where a transaction valid on one chain gets rebroadcast and confirmed on the other). Because there is currently no verified, official separation procedure, unofficial guides circulating online may be poorly designed at best, or actively malicious at worst — especially any that ask you to expose private keys, install unverified software, or route funds through a “splitting service.”
Why Waiting Is Often the Right Move
It’s understandable that the idea of “free coins” is tempting. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: acting early on an unfinished, unverified fork carries real downside risk, while waiting typically carries none.
There is currently no official wallet, no verified block explorer, no confirmed exchange support, and no finalised coin-separation procedure for this fork. Attempting to access or move anything related to it right now means relying on unverified tools built by people you can’t confirm — exactly the environment scammers thrive in.
If you’re not confident you understand replay risk, wallet compatibility, and how to verify software authenticity, the safest choice is simply to leave your existing Bitcoin holdings untouched.
Any coins tied to your current private keys on a legitimate fork will still be there once official, verified tools exist. There is no deadline. A rushed decision driven by fear of missing out is far more likely to cost you funds than to gain you any.
The Short Version
- You do not need to use any website to “claim” or “redeem” BIP110 coins.
- Never enter your seed phrase or private key into any claiming service, wallet, or website you haven’t independently verified.
- No legitimate support contact will ever ask for your seed phrase.
- Don’t assume an exchange or wallet supports the fork just because it supports regular Bitcoin — confirm explicitly.
- Don’t move pre-split coins based on unofficial “separation” instructions.
- If in doubt, do nothing. Waiting costs you nothing; acting on unverified information could cost you everything.
Stay sceptical of urgency, protect your seed phrase like your life depends on it (because your funds do), and when in doubt — wait it out.
Do your own research.
If you want to learn more about the new hard fork, use this article as a starting point. Don’t trust what we say as the final word. Take the time to research other sources, starting with the resources below.
