The expert gave tips on recognizing crypto scams

In 2024, there was a surge in hacker activity related to cryptocurrencies: fraudsters stole more than $3 billion. As the popularity of digital assets grows, so does the number of criminal schemes. The director of communications of the cryptocurrency exchange told Izvestia on March 23 about how to identify potential threats. exmo.me Mikhail Smirnov.

"Phishing is one of the most widespread and dangerous cyber fraud schemes in the crypto industry. According to analysts, it is phishing attacks that cause the loss of funds in most cases. The attackers fake the website of a popular crypto exchange or wallet and distribute a link to it via email, messengers or advertising," the expert explained.

According to him, the portals visually look identical to the original, but differ in the URL. For example, the uppercase Latin i can be replaced with the lowercase Latin L, which are perceived the same way — I and l. The entered logins and passwords are immediately transferred to the criminals.

If a user visits a phishing website and connects a wallet, the system does not always warn about the potential danger. Most cryptocurrencies do not have built-in protection mechanisms against such attacks. As a result, interaction with a fake resource looks absolutely familiar: a standard window appears with a connection request. If the user confirms it, the attackers gain access to the funds, which are instantly withdrawn.

"The main rule is to use links only from official sources or trusted services. It is absolutely not necessary to rely on private Telegram channels: administrators also make mistakes or intentionally publish a phishing link. You should not follow links from cryptochats or comments on social networks.: they are filled with scammers," he added.

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According to the expert, it is advisable to start working with a new platform using a wallet with a small balance. The best option is to have several accounts: one for storing fixed assets and at least one test account designed to work with unverified sites. In this case, even with a phishing attack, some of the funds will suffer, and the main capital will remain safe.

Scam projects are a form of fraud related to digital assets. Intruders manipulate people's trust and desire for quick earnings in order to seize their funds. This is usually presented as a "promising" investment opportunity, but in practice it turns out to be a trick to deceive. These include pseudo-investment funds or fake crypto projects promising high returns. The signs of such schemes are aggressive advertising, a risk—free profit guarantee, and a lack of transparency about the team and the actual product.

For example, attackers attract people with promises of high profits when investing in a promising project. The person transfers the funds, then the project disappears and the organizers disappear. Another common case is fake NFTs and tokens. Scammers create fake digital assets that they sell to naive buyers. A person purchases a "unique" NFT for $300, and later discovers that the image was copied from another resource.

You should also beware of scammers on social media. They often pose as well-known crypto investors, organize "giveaways" of tokens, promising to send users cryptocurrency in exchange for a small amount that is needed to confirm the transaction. No legal crypto projects require an advance payment to receive a reward.

"The owner of a cryptocurrency wallet should be the only one who has access to their digital assets. It is necessary to update the software regularly and use complex passwords or PIN codes. Passwords should also be complex and unique, and it is better to write them down in a reliable password manager. Two—factor authentication on all cryptocurrency-related services is considered a mandatory security measure," Smirnov concluded.

Earlier, on March 12, the Central Bank of Russia, in accordance with the instructions of President Vladimir Putin, sent proposals to the government to regulate investments in cryptocurrencies. This was reported in the press service of the regulator. According to the Central Bank, it is proposed to allow some investors from Russia to purchase and sell cryptocurrencies. For implementation, it is planned to establish a special experimental legal regime (EPR) for three years.