The beginning of 2025 brought several bull factors for the crypto space and also many new types of scams. Crypto experts suggest people remain in alert mode to avoid any big loss.
Summary
- Microsoft warns Chrome extension crypto wallet users against a new Trojan.
- Coinbase users getting fake email & text messages to download more secured fake wallets.
- Scammers are sending fake high-salary crypto job offers to crypto job seekers.
Scam & hack activities are a very common thing to hear in the crypto space, as it remains very easy for hackers & attackers to hide their identity in the world of decentralized space. Bad actors easily launder the stolen funds via crypto mixing services at very small amounts of cost. Despite strong efforts, bad actors invent new ways to conduct scams & hack attacks to loot money easily.
In the last year, 2024, a blockchain security firm, Certik, reported that hackers looted nearly $1 billion worth of crypto assets by conducting 296 incidents.
To inject some crypto safety awareness among the crypto community, we’re going to share three new types of scams & hack attacks emerging in the crypto space.
New Trojan Targets Chrome Crypto Wallet Extensions
On 19 March 2025, Computer tech giant company Microsoft published a report to warn the crypto industry. According to the report, bad actors are currently spreading a new trojan, called StilachiRAT, to target the top crypto wallet extensions in the Google Chrome browser.
Malware can attack nearly 20 different crypto wallet extensions, including top crypto wallet MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, Trust Wallet, OKX Wallet, Bitget Wallet, Phantom, etc.
Cyber security experts warned that if the trojan succeeds in attacking wealthy crypto investors, then it would lead to a very big wallet hack incident, so all the crypto users should remain updated against this newly discovered trojan.
Spoof Emails of Coinbase & Gemini
However, fake email to crypto users is a very old method for scammers to collect sensitive information from noob crypto investors & drain money from crypto accounts, but now this email spoofing concept is updated by the bad actors.
In the recent few days, many crypto X users reported that they’re getting email & also text messages from bad actors. They’re showing totally like Coinbase or Gemini crypto exchange.
In particular, a Crypto X user reported that through the spoof email, the scammer claimed to be from Coinbase & asked to download a new self-custodial wallet.
However, through the spoof mail & message, they’re giving all step-by-step guidance to install & set up the wallet, but their instruction is dragging the crypto investor toward a real scam wallet, indeed controlled by the scammer.
To show the email/text message genuine, they’re also sending a fake OTP code so that they can easily convince the target.
A new wallet, controlled by the hacker, also has the option to recover the wallet by inserting the pre-generated recovery phrases, obviously to get Access to the user’s real crypto wallet.
The Coinbase team officially warned the crypto investors and urged them not to interact with any email or text message pretending to be from the Coinbase exchange or Coinbase wallet.
Here, the Bitcoinik.com readers need to know that hackers are also trying to call the crypto investors to ask for their email & sensitive data directly by pretending to be from the reputed crypto exchange. Recently, three crypto entrepreneurs reported that they got fake Zoom calls from North Korean hackers.
Fake Crypto Jobs
In recent months, many crypto pros have gotten emails & calls from scammers regarding a crypto job. Usually, these scammers claim to be from a very reputed firm & offer a fake crypto job.
The latest report by the Deribit crypto platform’s executive reported that hackers are using the name of Deribit exchange to mislead the crypto job seekers. First, they offer a very high salary for the crypto job, but after reaching out to suitable candidates, they ask to complete some formalities & wisely install malware on the device of the victim. In some cases, these hackers ask for multiple payments for document verification & interview charges and finally run away.
To remain away from such kinds of crypto job scams, people should visit the official source regarding the job instead of a third party. Such types of scams were very common in the non-crypto sector but now it is escalating in this innovative space also.
Read also: Bearish Sentiment Rises, but Tron ($TRX) Surges – Here’s Why
Disclaimer: We at Bitcoinik.com present you with the latest information in the crypto market. However, this information should not be regarded as financial advice and viewers should consult their financial advisors before investing.
