At a time when the cryptocurrency field is developing, as there are wide opportunities in terms of making money, including in the digital field, many unique risks - cases of fraud - have also arisen in the said field. Criminals use various methods to deceive people and steal their assets, one of which is social networks.
Investors who are social network users mainly use messenger and this messenger is very popular among cryptocurrency investors. Therefore, there are a number of fraudsters who try to use its tools to cheat users. There are several common fraud schemes that you should definitely consider.
FED.az business financial portal will talk about how criminals deceive cryptocurrency investors on social networks and how to protect yourself from fraudsters.
Scams on "Telegram"...
This messenger is very popular among cryptocurrency investors, so there are a number of fraudsters who try to use its tools to deceive users. There are several common schemes that are worth considering.
Scheme 1. The criminal presents himself as a representative of a cryptocurrency exchange. For example, they may pretend to be a financial advisor and offer to help make money by participating in a fraudulent airdrop of a fake organizer. In some cases, criminals pretending to be employees of a digital cryptocurrency platform tell the user to pay a tax fee and provide a phishing link for payment.
Scheme 2. Scammers pretend to be a crypto exchange support bot and use social engineering to trick users into contacting them and get all their information (registration and bank accounts).
3rd scheme. Criminals create fake cryptocurrency exchange groups and add users to those groups without their consent. Group participants are then offered fake mining and charged for participation using a phishing link.
How to protect? First of all, you need to carefully check the contact information in "Telegram". Relevant registration information can be found on their profile page. Pay special attention to the username field and do not rely on the information provided in the "Biography" section. Special attention should be paid to the name of the registration entry: fraudsters often use similar symbols, replace string letters with capital letters and vice versa, etc. they take steps like this, which makes the registration very similar to the original. In addition, special services such as "Binance Verify" can be used to verify the originality of registration documents.
Phishing on social networks...
Despite the fact that phishing and malicious links have been known for a long time, their effectiveness does not decrease, and therefore fraudsters often use them. For example, when searching for software to download, it is easy to come across a phishing link or real software repackaged with malicious features. Recently, such cases of fraud have actively attacked social networks.
One of the popular recent schemes from this category is as follows: the user receives an invitation to participate in the distribution of cryptocurrency through a social network or messenger for a small fee. Terms are often so attractive that the user finds it difficult to refuse. It is true that a certain amount of payment is required to get the reward. Of course, the payment must be made through a phishing link, not real cryptocurrency.
Fraudulent practices involving fake Airdrops or tokens attract particular attention. These are phishing attacks that aim to trick users into making payments, connecting their wallets to malicious smart contracts, or handing over their private keys. As a result, users lose their personal data and personal assets.
How to protect? Oftentimes, these kinds of deals are too good to be true. It is necessary to assess the reality of the proposals. It is recommended not to click on links or scan QR-codes from unreliable sources. Accessing links or providing confidential personal information may result in loss of personal information and personal funds.
Scams through browser plug-ins...
Browser plug-ins (extensions) have gained popularity in order to improve the online experience, optimize work with content and introduce new functions. However, not all plugins are safe, as some can be used by criminals for malicious purposes. Fraudsters use various schemes to trick users through browser plug-ins and extensions. By capturing keystrokes and tracking browser activity, they can steal sensitive information such as passwords and login credentials. Plugins can also inject malicious code into web pages, which can lead to phishing attacks or the installation of malware. Criminals can also hijack login sessions to gain access to user accounts. In addition, malicious extensions can read and write the contents of the clipboard, which can lead to falsification of the user's address and loss of money when depositing or withdrawing funds on financial platforms.
How to protect? In order not to become a victim of malicious plugins, Binance experts recommend taking a number of precautions. First, it is recommended to limit the number of plugins, install only the plugins that are really necessary and reliable. The more plugins installed, the higher the risk of encountering malware. Second, before installing a plugin, you should carefully research it, check reviews, information about the developer and the permissions it requires. It is recommended not to grant unnecessary access permissions. Third, it is recommended to regularly check and remove plugins that are no longer used in order to reduce the potential attack surface. At the same time, all software, including the browser and installed plugins, must be updated regularly. The use of antivirus programs should not be neglected. In addition, it is advisable to create an isolated browser user profile to access the wallet and not install plugins to it. After using all money-related applications, it is recommended to exit immediately and not to enable cookies, as this can be set in the applications' own settings. It would be ideal to use a special device to carry out financial transactions.
An investor should definitely do them!
The most important factor in the fight against fraud is simple digital literacy. Strangers who offer obvious and extremely favorable bargaining terms cannot be trusted. At the same time, it is necessary to observe digital hygiene, that is, it is recommended not to access the links sent, not to open incoming letters from unknown persons, not to join unknown groups on social networks, not to give personal and payment information to third parties. This considered and logical approach to working in the digital space is 90% of the safe protection and security of assets.
Rubric is presented by Binance, the world's leading cryptocurrency infrastructure provider.
