Solana wallets sometimes receive spam tokens from unknown sources, which can lead to clutter and potential scams. According to blockchain analytics, over 70% of Solana wallets have received at least one unsolicited token airdrop.
Why Spam Tokens Exist
Spammers use token airdrops for several reasons:
- 🔹 Marketing: Legitimate projects trying to gain visibility (though annoying)
- 🔹 Phishing: Token names contain URLs to fake websites that drain wallets
- 🔹 Pump and Dumps: Create artificial interest in worthless tokens
- 🔹 Data Collection: Track wallet activity and trading patterns
- 🔹 Scam Awareness: Token metadata contains fake "claim" instructions leading to malicious sites
How to Identify Spam Tokens
- 🚩 Suspicious names: "FREE SOL", "CLAIM NOW", or celebrity names
- 🚩 Tiny amounts: 0.0001 tokens with no clear purpose
- 🚩 No verified metadata: Missing logo, description, or website
- 🚩 Unknown source: You didn't interact with the project
- 🚩 Too good to be true: Claims of free airdrops worth hundreds of dollars
Always verify tokens on Solscan before interacting.
Wallet-Specific Protection Features
Phantom Wallet
- ✅ Auto-hide spam: Settings → Experimental Features → Auto-hide spam tokens
- ✅ Manual hiding: Long press any token → Hide
- ✅ Burn spam: Some spam can be "burned" to permanently remove
Solflare Wallet
- ✅ Token filtering: Filter by verified tokens only
- ✅ Manual hiding: Click three dots → Hide token
- ✅ Custom lists: Create whitelists of trusted tokens
Advanced Protection Strategies
- 🔹 Use separate wallets: One for interacting with new dApps, one for holding valuable assets
- 🔹 Never click links in token metadata: These are almost always phishing attempts
- 🔹 Check RugCheck: Before buying any token, verify it's not a scam
- 🔹 Monitor wallet permissions: Revoke any suspicious approvals immediately
- 🔹 Follow security accounts: @solana_daily warns about new scams
How to Safely Remove Spam Tokens
Hiding tokens in your wallet doesn't close the account—the rent is still locked. To fully remove and reclaim rent:
- 🔹 Verify it's actually spam (check holder count, liquidity, project info)
- 🔹 Never try to swap it (this is how drain attacks work)
- 🔹 Close the account using a trusted tool like SolPurge
- 🔹 Reclaim the 0.00203928 SOL rent locked in that account
Prevention Checklist
- ✅ Enable spam filtering in your wallet settings
- ✅ Only interact with verified projects
- ✅ Use separate wallets for experimentation vs holding
- ✅ Regularly audit and close unnecessary token accounts
- ✅ Never click links in unsolicited token metadata
- ✅ Join community channels to stay updated on new scam tactics
What If You Already Clicked a Spam Link?
If you suspect compromise:
- 🚨 Immediately create a new wallet with a new seed phrase
- 🚨 Transfer all assets to the new wallet ASAP
- 🚨 Never use the compromised wallet again
- 🚨 Monitor for unauthorized transactions
- 🚨 Report to Solana community channels to warn others
Being proactive with spam tokens helps protect your assets and keeps your wallet secure. When in doubt, don't interact—just close the account.
Learn more security practices from Ledger's guide on dusting attacks.