An Investigation of Cryptocurrency Scams and Schemes
Trend Micro
MARCH 23, 2022
We provide an overview of the diverse range of NFT- and cryptocurrency-related scams that malicious actors use to steal assets worldwide.
Article Cryptocurrency Scams 
Conti Ransomware Group Diaries, Part IV: Cryptocrime
Krebs on Security
MARCH 7, 2022
This final post on the Conti conversations explores different schemes that Conti pursued to invest in and steal cryptocurrencies. This wealth allowed Conti to do things that regular investors couldn’t — such as moving the price of cryptocurrencies in one direction or the other. “Cryptocurrency article contest! .
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Cryptocurrency Use Is on the Rise and So Are Crypto-Scams
Identity IQ
MAY 3, 2021
There’s no doubt about it, cryptocurrency is increasingly entering into the main fray as a currency of choice. But also on the rise are cryptocurrency-related scams. According to the “Cryptocurrency Scam Report,” published by fraud prevention company Bolster, more than 400,000 crypto scams were created over the last year.
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I spoke to a task scammer. Here’s how it went
Malwarebytes
MARCH 5, 2025
Tasks scam are surging, with a year over year increase of 400%. Note (this article is not suitable for students under 22 years old, and African and Indian employees cannot be hired due to remittance issues) For more details please see the WhatsaPP link: [shortened bit.ly explanation? It isn’t.)
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Cryptocurrency wallet CEO loses $125,000 in wallet-draining scam
Graham Cluley
JANUARY 4, 2024
Read my article on the Tripwire State of Security blog. No one is too big, too clever, too security-savvy to avoid being duped - because it's only human to make a mistake and screw up.
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Two men arrested one month after $230 million of cryptocurrency stolen from a single victim
Graham Cluley
SEPTEMBER 24, 2024
Two men have been arrested by the FBI and charged in relation to their alleged involvement in a scam which saw almost a quarter of a billion dollars worth of cryptocurrency stolen from a single victim. Two men arrested one month after $230 million of cryptocurrency stolen from a single victim.
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Google sues crypto investment app makers over alleged massive “pig butchering” scam
Graham Cluley
APRIL 5, 2024
Two China-based Android app developers are being sued by Google for an alleged scam targeting 100,000 users worldwide through fake cryptocurrency and other investment apps. Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog.
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Impulse Team’s Massive Years-Long Mostly-Undetected Cryptocurrency Scam
Trend Micro
JUNE 5, 2023
We have been able to uncover a massive cryptocurrency scam involving more than a thousand websites handled by different affiliates linked to a program called Impulse Project, run by a threat actor named Impulse Team.
Cryptocurrency scam attack on Twitter reminds users to check their app connections
The State of Security
MAY 27, 2021
Read more in my article on the Tripwire State of Security blog. Even if you have chosen a strong, unique password for your online presence and enabled two-factor authentication it's possible that you've overlooked another way in which online criminals could commandeer your social media accounts and spam out a message to your followers.
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LinkedIn scams are a “significant threat”, warns FBI
Malwarebytes
JUNE 20, 2022
In fact, according to according to Sean Ragan, the FBI’s special agent in charge of the San Francisco and Sacramento, California, field offices, cryptocurrency scams are big business on LinkedIn. ” How cryptocurrency scams work on LinkedIn. Victims are directed to genuine cryptocurrency investment portals.
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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince William deepfaked in investment scam campaign
Graham Cluley
AUGUST 14, 2024
Scammers are once again using deepfake technology to dupe unwary internet Facebook and Instagram users into making unwise cryptocurrency investments. Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog.
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Tax Season Scams: How to Protect Your Identity
Identity IQ
APRIL 20, 2023
Tax Season Scams: How to Protect Your Identity IdentityIQ While it’s important to be on high alert and protect your identity all year long, tax season is an especially vulnerable time. Every tax season, identity thieves run a variety of scams to get their hands on taxpayers’ personal information. It’s probably a scam.
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$9 million seized from “pig butchering” scammers who preyed on lonely hearts
Graham Cluley
NOVEMBER 23, 2023
US authorities have seized almost $9 million worth of cryptocurrency linked to a gang engaged in cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams. Read more in my article on the Tripwire State of Security blog.
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Cryptocurrency scam attack on Twitter reminds users to check their app connections
Security Boulevard
MAY 27, 2021
The post Cryptocurrency scam attack on Twitter reminds users to check their app connections appeared first on The State of Security. The post Cryptocurrency scam attack on Twitter reminds users to check their app connections appeared first on Security Boulevard.
Cybercriminals target SVB customers with BEC and cryptocurrency scams
CSO Magazine
MARCH 15, 2023
Cybercriminals have started taking advantage of Silicon Valley Bank’s (SVB) downfall to carrying out scams that can steal money, and bank account information, or infect customers’ systems with malware. To read this article in full, please click here
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British man arrested in connection with Twitter mega-hack that posted cryptocurrency scam from celebrity accounts
The State of Security
JULY 22, 2021
Read more in my article on the Tripwire State of Security blog. Police in Spain have arrested a British man in connection with what many consider the worst hack in Twitter's history.
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Bitcoin ATM Scams: What You Need to Know
Identity IQ
MAY 6, 2024
Bitcoin ATM Scams: What You Need to Know IdentityIQ Bitcoin, the popular digital currency, has opened new avenues for online transactions and investments. With the growing prevalence of Bitcoin ATMs (also known as Bitcoin kiosks), it’s essential to be aware of the potential scams and take necessary precautions.
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What are NFT Scams?
Identity IQ
MAY 9, 2022
What are NFT Scams? Most NFT scams happen when a bad actor steals a participant’s cryptocurrency wallet login or tricks a buyer into believing they have successfully purchased or sold a legitimate NFT. Here’s a Rundown of the Most Common NFT Scams and How to Help Avoid Them. IdentityIQ. Watch out for Chats on Discord.
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Common Tech Support Scams and How to Avoid Them
Identity IQ
APRIL 6, 2022
Common Tech Support Scams and How to Avoid Them. The FBI recently posted an alert notifying consumers that tech support scams are on the rise. Recognizing a Tech Support Scam. Here are some outlined by the FBI as particularly prevalent right now: Utility or cable/internet scam. Travel industry scams. IdentityIQ.
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Call centres behind fake cryptocurrency scams shut down across Europe
Graham Cluley
JANUARY 13, 2023
European law enforcement agencies have dealt a blow to scammers running call centres across the continent that stole millions of Euros from cryptocurrency investors. Crime-fighting authorities teamed up to tackle organised criminal groups who tricked unwary members of the public into investing in fake cryptocurrency schemes.
What You Should Know About ‘Pig Butchering Scams’
Identity IQ
FEBRUARY 13, 2023
What You Should Know About ‘Pig Butchering Scams’ IdentityIQ Scammers are back at it again with a new scheme – called “pig butchering scams” – that targets people looking for love online. This highly sophisticated scam lures people into long-term relationships before selling them on fake online investment opportunities.
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Scam Information and Event Management
SecureList
OCTOBER 4, 2024
In a recent campaign starting in 2022, unknown malicious actors have been trying to mine cryptocurrency on victims’ devices without user consent; they’ve used large amounts of resources for distribution, but what’s more, used multiple unusual vectors for defense evasion and persistence.
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$10m of funds goes missing in what appears to be a cryptocurrency rug-pull
Malwarebytes
JANUARY 5, 2022
There’s a lot of concern in the cryptocurrency realm at the moment. Yield farming is a popular target for scams, as lots of money is dropped into new services with the hope of big payouts via passive income earnings further down the line. However, as the article notes, many projects are open source. What’s happened to Arbix?
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Blockchain security companies tackle cryptocurrency theft, ransom tracing
CSO Magazine
OCTOBER 25, 2022
According to data from the Rekt leaderboard , cybercriminals have stolen as much as $3 billion of investor funds through 141 various cryptocurrency exploits since January, putting 2022 on track to top 2021 levels of digital currency malfeasance. Comparitech’s cryptocurrency heists tracker indicates that since 2011, hackers have stolen $7.9
Matthew Perry’s Twitter account hacked by cryptocurrency scammers
Graham Cluley
FEBRUARY 28, 2024
The post asked for cryptocurrency donations "to support our mission in battling addiction." Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog. Matthew Perry's official Twitter account was hijacked by scammers this week who attempted to solicit donations from well-meaning fans of the much-loved late actor.
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Here Are the Top 3 Online Scams and How to Avoid Them
Identity IQ
APRIL 2, 2021
Victims lost the most money to business email compromise scams, romance and confidence schemes and investment fraud. Notably, last year saw the emergence of scams exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic. Phishing Scams. Phishing scams accounted for 241,342 complaints in the report, generating $54 million in total damages.
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Financial sextortion scams on the rise
Malwarebytes
JUNE 5, 2024
Scammers then threaten victims into sending payment, usually in the form of cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or gift cards, otherwise they’ll post the images online for all to see. However, NCRI notes virtually all sextortion scams targeting minors can be directly linked to a distributed West African gang known as the Yahoo Boys.
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“Fake crypto millionaire” charged with alleged $1.7M cryptomining scam
Graham Cluley
SEPTEMBER 23, 2022
A self-proclaimed cryptocurrency millionaire has been charged with multiple felonies for his alleged role in a scam that purported to sell a high-powered cryptomining machine called the "Bitex Blockbuster" that did not actually exist. Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog.
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Related CherryBlos and FakeTrade Android Malware Involved in Scam Campaigns
Trend Micro
JULY 27, 2023
Trend Micro’s Mobile Application Reputation Service (MARS) team discovered two new related Android malware families involved in cryptocurrency-mining and financially-motivated scam campaigns targeting Android users.
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Law enforcement crackdowns and new techniques are forcing cybercriminals to pivot
CSO Magazine
MAY 15, 2023
It can seem like cybercriminals are running rampant across the world's digital infrastructure, launching ransomware attacks, scams, and outright thefts with impunity. To read this article in full, please click here
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The deepfake danger: When it wasn’t you on that Zoom call
CSO Magazine
SEPTEMBER 26, 2022
Then the criminals used a convincing-looking holograph of me in Zoom calls to try and scam several representatives of legitimate cryptocurrency projects,” he says. To read this article in full, please click here
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5 tips for spotting and avoiding Pig butchering scams
The State of Security
AUGUST 14, 2022
A new type of scam, called “pig butchering” is gaining momentum. Pig butchering is a unique scam which uses a romance scam script, but with an investment spin on it, where victims are groomed to invest large sums of money, often on fake crypto apps.
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Personal data of thousands of users from the UK, Australia, South Africa, the US, Singapore exposed in bitcoin scam
Security Affairs
JUNE 30, 2020
Group-IB discovered thousands of personal records of users from multiple countries exposed in a targeted multi-stage bitcoin scam. The new scheme is similar to the “Bitcoin Evolution” scam, that Group-IB reported on in Feb. SecurityAffairs – hacking, bitcoin scam). The source of the leak has not been established yet.
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Imran Khan’s Instagram account hacked to promote phoney Elon Musk $100 million crypto giveaway
Graham Cluley
AUGUST 2, 2022
The official Instagram account of cricketing legend and former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was hacked yesterday in order to promote a cryptocurrency scam. Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog.
Canon printer owners: Be careful of bogus driver download sites
Malwarebytes
MAY 11, 2022
Some of the above have many issues already with bogus search engine results and tech support scams. We’re very quickly in the realm of tech support scams. All tried and tested Windows-centric tech support scam tactics. The Gizmodo article contains numerous examples of this type of scam. Site specifics.
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Security Affairs newsletter Round 512 by Pierluigi Paganini – INTERNATIONAL EDITION
Security Affairs
FEBRUARY 23, 2025
Every week the best security articles from Security Affairs are free in your email box. from Bybit, it is the largest cryptocurrency heist ever Apple removes iCloud encryption in UK following backdoor demand B1acks Stash released 1 Million credit cards U.S. A new round of the weekly SecurityAffairs newsletter arrived!
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Protecting Your Cryptocurrency from Cyber Attacks
Responsible Cyber
JULY 13, 2024
Introduction Cryptocurrency represents a groundbreaking innovation in the financial sector, offering decentralized, peer-to-peer digital transactions through blockchain technology. However, the allure of these digital assets also attracts malicious actors, making cryptocurrency security paramount.
Ukraine President enforces Information Security Strategy
CyberSecurity Insiders
DECEMBER 29, 2021
Article 107 of the Constitution of Ukraine proposed a new security strategy for the country’s information systems on October 15,2021 and was waiting for the whole parliaments nod till date. The post Ukraine President enforces Information Security Strategy appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.
This couple lost £15,000 to scammers. We followed the money – and found millions in stolen crypto
Security Affairs
JULY 13, 2021
Mindaugas (who wished his last name not to be disclosed publicly), an executive at a UK-based company, unknowingly fell for a scam when he tried to claim a £60 bonus supposedly offered by Coinbase, a mistake that resulted in £15,000 lost to fraudsters in minutes. Falling for the scam. The scammers didn’t waste any time.
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Malicious Actors Target Crypto Wallets of Coinbase Users in New Phishing Campaign
Hot for Security
MARCH 9, 2021
Cybercriminals are targeting Coinbase platform users with phishing campaings in an attempt to steal their account credentials and drain their cryptocurrency wallets, Bitdefender Antispam Lab has learned. The trend toward impersonating cryptocurrency trading platforms to steal user information is likely to continue throughout the year.
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Security Affairs newsletter Round 453 by Pierluigi Paganini – INTERNATIONAL EDITION
Security Affairs
JANUARY 7, 2024
Every week the best security articles from Security Affairs are free for you in your email box. A new round of the weekly SecurityAffairs newsletter arrived! Enjoy a new round of the weekly SecurityAffairs newsletter, including the international press.
Teenager made Bitcoin fortune after promoting scam website with Google ad
Graham Cluley
OCTOBER 29, 2021
Or were they masterminding a "sophisticated fraud" that would net them millions of pounds worth of cryptocurrency? million) worth of cryptocurrency seized by the police. Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog. million (US $2.89
Internet Safety Month: Avoiding the consequences of unsafe Internet practices
Malwarebytes
JUNE 3, 2022
In the world of online scams, criminals care about one thing: Your money. Earlier this year, a woman in Tennessee was fooled in an online dating scam by a thief who stole $390,000 of her money. By selling fake raffle tickets for the promotion, the scammers raked in $438,000 worth of cryptocurrency. Do use a cybersecurity app.
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5 Data Breach Trends to Anticipate This Year
Identity IQ
JANUARY 19, 2022
The more digital assets like cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) gain mainstream appeal and legitimacy, the more cybercriminals are going to seek out vulnerabilities and target them for the attack. Watch out for increasingly sophisticated scams that target digital forms of currency and property. Natural Disaster Scams.
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