MetaMask users warned of surge in scams

Analytical firm CipherTrace warned cryptocurrency holders of a surge in the past 24 hours in funds stolen through counterfeit MetaMask Ethereum wallets.

ALERT: In the past 24 hours, we’ve noted an uptick of comments within the online #cryptocurrency community of users’ funds being stolen via a Chrome browser extension #phishing attack posing as cryptocurrency wallet and browser extension #MetaMask. https://t.co/yRjCjSTvFz

— CipherTrace (@ciphertrace) December 2, 2020

According to specialists, attackers advertise clones of the official MetaMask site and distribute a fake extension for the Google Chrome browser. If the client enters the data required to connect the wallet, all funds are withdrawn from their account.

One user recounted on Twitter that a friend of his fell for a phishing site from Google’s search results.

METAMASK SCAM!
A friend of mine got his account drained. He googled «metamask», clicked on the 1st link (ad) that came up which prompted him to download the fake metamask plugin. As soon as he installed it everything from his account was drained. Share Retweet! pic.twitter.com/OO9tkq1N6k

— Value-Trader (@AbizMind) November 29, 2020

MetaMask representatives confirmed that Google is displaying attacker ads in search results. The wallet developers advised using only direct links and to be careful with information shown in search results.

🎣🚨 Phishing warning? 🎣🚨@Google is allowing a phisher to buy sponsored ads on their search results. When using crypto, try to use direct links, and if you need to use search, watch out for sponsored links! pic.twitter.com/Fx4WArcH80

— MetaMask (@metamask_io) December 2, 2020

In response to criticism that MetaMask should do more to safeguard user security, Chief Product Officer Jacob Cantele asked the community what should be improved.

How can we improve? Currently we’re warning in multiple places within the product, we maintain a phishing detector that warns about tens of thousands of malicious sites, we do regular security marketing campaigns, and we have legal resources to trying to get these sites removed.

— Jacob Cantele (hiring for MetaMask) ⟠ 🦊 December 2, 2020

‘Currently we are issuing warnings in several places within the product, we maintain a phishing detector that warns about tens of thousands of malicious sites, we run regular security marketing campaigns, and we have legal resources to try to remove these sites’, wrote Cantele.

Earlier, MetaMask representatives said that the number of active wallet users surpassed 1 million.

In July, developers released an updated version of the MetaMask browser extension with improved privacy and security options.

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