Spam on the XRP Ledger
Understanding SPAM
What is spam?
Spam on the XRP Ledger is any unwanted or unsolicited transaction that gets sent out in bulk.
About the XRP Ledger
The XRP Ledger is a decentralized blockchain that anyone can access and use. Features like the base reserve (wallet reserve) and owner reserve help to limit spam since people need to meet these reserve requirements in order to transaction on the network.
One of the best features of the XRPL is its low transaction fees. Often as low as .000012 XRP, sending transactions is extremely inexpensive which makes the XRPL a great way to move assets around the globe.
Another great feature is the “Memo” field. The intention of this field is to allow the transaction sender to include a short note in the transaction to help identify it for accounting purposes.
Unfortunately, some unscrupulous people have discovered these two features and combined them to distribute spam across the network.
How it works
Some people have figured out that they can combine the low fees of the XRPL with the Memo field to send low value transactions to a large number of accounts.
By doing this, they can get their “message” out to thousands of people at a very low cost.
How it looks in Xaman
If you look in the Events log in Xaman (formerly Xumm), you will see something like this:
Notice the red triangle with the exclamation mark. This indicates a spam transaction.
Why do token issuers send spam?
In many cases, i is simply a marketing ploy to get you to participate in their project. People who send unsolicited transactions on the XRPL are trying to get you to buy their token or their NFT, or whatever it is that they are promoting.
In other cases, they are trying to scam you. Check out this spam transaction:
If you were to follow the instructions in the Memo field, you would certainly be scammed.
Legitimate projects do not send unsolicited transactions across public networks.
What can I do about spam on the XRPL?
Some people who receive spam, take it upon themselves to contact the scam token issuers and explain (often in very strong language) spamming a public network is… unwanted and undesirable.
Others take to social media to condemn the token issuers and warn others not to participate.
Most people simply ignore the transactions. We advise you to do this as well.
Can I delete the transaction from Xaman?
Nobody can delete a transaction from the XRP Ledger or from Xaman (formerly Xumm). If it exists on the XRPL, Xaman will display it.
Do these spam transactions cost me XRP?
No. It costs the sender to send them. The sender pays the XRPL transaction fees, not you.
Should I return the tokens to them?
That is completely up to you. These spammers want to get some sort of reply from you. That way they know you are reading their messages. Once you reply, it is possible that they will send you targeted messages. There is no telling what their intentions are. We recommend that you ignore them.
If I return it will I be charged a transaction fee?
Yes. The XRPL automatically charges transaction fees in order to process transactions. It will cost you XRP to send the tokens back to them.
Can they access my account in any way?
Absolutely not. No one can access your XRPL account unless they know your account secret. (Secret numbers / Family seed / Mnemonic) As long as you keep your account secret safe and secure, your funds are safe. The only way someone can access your XRPL account is if you give them your account secret. See this article for more information:
I clicked the transaction to view it, am I in any danger?
No. Reviewing a transaction on the XRPL is not dangerous. The only way someone can access your XRPL account is if they get access to your account secret. See this article for more information:
I don't even know them! How did they get my r-address? I’ve been very careful who I’ve interacted with in the XRP community…
The XRP Ledger is a public blockchain. There are many ways to get a list of random r-addresses. If you have created a Trust Line or sent funds to/from a crypto exchange, or participated in an airdrop, or even if you activated an account, your r-address can be filtered and obtained.
Here is an example:
In this case, a person has just activated their account and suddenly they receive a spam transaction advertising a website.
Legitimate projects do not send unsolicited transactions across public networks.
There is currently no way of preventing this from happening on the XRP Ledger.
How does Xaman handle spam?
We have numerous ways of identifying spam on the XRPL. When we find accounts that appear to be sending spam, we analyze the history of the account, immediately suppress the memo field and add a notification indicating the transaction may be dangerous. As well, for our Xaman Pro users, the push notifications are suppressed so you are not notified when the spam transactions arrives in your account.
Is there any solution to this problem?
Actually there is. It is called the Xahau network and you can easily interact with the Xahau network using Xaman.
The Xahau network is an XRP Ledger protocol side chain that has all of the same features as the XRP Ledger but it includes additional features like a spam filter. Once the Spam filter is installed on your account, spam transactions are stopped before they even get to your account.
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