Solana Scam Patterns: Mint Authority, Freeze Authority, and More

Solana's token ecosystem is different from Ethereum's at a fundamental level. SPL tokens (Solana's token standard) have built-in features that EVM chains do not — and scammers exploit them in ways that most scanners completely miss.

Mint Authority: The Infinite Money Glitch

Every SPL token can optionally have a “mint authority” — an address that can create new tokens at any time. If the mint authority is not revoked, the developer can print unlimited tokens and dump them on the market instantly, destroying your holdings' value. Always check if mint authority is revoked before buying any Solana token.

Freeze Authority: Your Tokens Can Be Frozen

Freeze authority allows the token issuer to freeze any wallet's token balance. If your wallet is frozen, you cannot send, sell, or interact with those tokens. This is the Solana equivalent of a honeypot. Some projects legitimately use freeze authority for compliance, but for DeFi tokens it is almost always a red flag.

Pump.fun Launch Patterns

Pump.fun has become the dominant launchpad for Solana memecoins. Most tokens launch with mint authority active and bonding curve liquidity that the creator can influence. Once a token “graduates” to Raydium, it should have mint authority revoked and liquidity locked. Many scam tokens graduate, get pumped, and are dumped before these safeguards are in place.

How to Stay Safe on Solana

Before buying any Solana token, verify: mint authority revoked, freeze authority revoked, liquidity locked on Raydium, and deployer wallet history. TokenGuard AI checks all of these automatically for any Solana token. Free scan at tknguard.com.