Members of the Pi Network community are raising the alarm about a growing scam that has already resulted in millions of Pi tokens being removed from users’ wallets.
The system takes advantage of the network’s payment request function and the inherent transparency of blockchain data. It asks the Pi Core team to temporarily disable payment requests as losses increase.
Pioneers warn of scam that leads to Pi being withdrawn from wallets
According to multiple community alerts circulating on X (formerly Twitter), scammers can scan the Pi blockchain to identify wallet addresses and view their Pi balances.
Once a wallet with a significant balance is identified, the attacker sends a payment request directly to the holder. If the recipient clicks ‘approve’, the Pi is immediately transferred to the scammer’s wallet and cannot be recovered.
Community account Pi OpenMainnet 2025 warned that the mechanism is often misinterpreted as a technical error.
“Previously people called this a ‘system vulnerability,’ but honestly, it’s not a vulnerability at all,” the post said. “This is exactly how the wallet is designed to work. The only way you will lose your Pi Coins is if you personally approve the transaction.”
The same message emphasized that the threat lies in social engineering rather than protocol failure. Scammers can disguise requests to appear legitimate or pose as trusted contacts, increasing the likelihood that users will approve transfers without verifying them.
A scam on scale
Blockchain tracking shared by the community points to a single wallet address as a key hub for the activity.
The address – GCD3SZ3TFJAESWFZFROZZHNRM5KWFO25TVNR6EMLWNYL47V5A72HBWXP – has been accused of stealing between 700,000 and 800,000 Pi per month. According to reports, cumulative losses now exceed 4.4 million Pi.
Data shared by Pi network update shows consistent monthly inflows to the address:
- About 877,900 Pi in July 2025
- 743,000 Pi in August
- 757,000 Pi in September
- 563,000 Pi in October
- 622,700 Pi in November, and
- More than 838,000 Pi in December.
The figures indicate a coordinated and sustained operation rather than isolated incidents, with the peak in December indicating accelerating activity.
The scale of the theft has heightened concerns among Pioneers, many of whom are new to on-chain transactions. As such, they may not be familiar with the risks of approving unsolicited requests.
Pi team disables payment requests
In response, the Pi team has temporarily suspended the ‘Send Payment Request’ feature. Community notices indicate that this step was taken after scam activities increased.
“Currently, the Pi team has suspended these types of requests (possibly because the scam has gotten out of hand),” Pi Network Alerts said in a message.
However, the suspension is described as an emergency measure and not a permanent solution. The feature may be re-enabled once additional security measures or user protections have been assessed.
Until then, the community’s guidance is unequivocal. The network advises users not to accept or approve payment requests sent to their wallets, regardless of who the sender appears to be.
Warnings highlight that scammers can pose as friends, relatives or even official Pi accounts.
The incident highlights a broader challenge for blockchain networks: striking a balance between transparency and usability while maintaining user security.
While the Pi Protocol functions as intended, the episode highlights how easily social engineering can abuse standard features to create attack vectors.
With year-end payment requests still unavailable, Pi Network’s PI coin ($0.20) traded at $0.20381, up almost 1% in the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Pi community members continue to monitor suspicious wallets and strengthen security alerts. They urge vigilance as scams become more sophisticated and widespread.
The post Pi Network Stops Payment Requests After Scam Takes 4.4 Million Pi Coins appeared first on BeInCrypto.
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