During the holiday period, criminals have been actively using the ‘gift cryptocurrencies’ scheme. This is reported by Izvestia, citing data from a cybersecurity company RTM Group.
Cybercriminals are creating phishing emails and counterfeit websites urging that cryptocurrency would be an original gift and a good investment. However, if a victim transfers money to such resources, it cannot be withdrawn.
The second — a more familiar variant — is the offer to double the amount of cryptocurrency sent to the wallet specified by the fraudster. Typically, such posts appear on Twitter and Facebook, allegedly on behalf of well-known people.
Awareness of the ‘gift cryptocurrency’ scheme was reported by VTB, Rosbank, and Post Bank. In the latter two, they linked the scheme’s popularity to the active public discourse on the topic.
Experts warned that, in addition to the loss of funds, there is a risk of the subsequent resale of citizens’ data for use in other fraudulent schemes. They advised not to click on links to unfamiliar resources or advertisements promising high financial gains.
Earlier, the Ministry of Finance presented to the government a bill ‘On Digital Currency’, regulating turnover and the issuance of cryptocurrencies in the Russian Federation, as well as the activities of exchanges and exchangers.
Commenting on the document, lawyers noted that ‘it’s easier to give up Bitcoin than to operate under such rules’.
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