The FBI has issued a public alert on a new scam that targets people with cryptocurrency accounts to steal funds.
Cybercriminals are defrauding cryptocurrency users through nonfungible tokens, or NFT, airdrops to trick people into handing over sensitive wallet information — leading to these scammers draining crypto accounts.
This is impacting users on the Hedera Hashgraph network.
The airdrop feature was initially created for the network for marketing purposes, but cybercriminals can exploit it to collect victim data and steal crypto.
Scammers are compromising a memo feature and including a link to a third-party website that requires security and login information of a user — ultimately allowing the cybercriminal to steal information, according to the FBI.
Additionally, malicious phishing URLs for NFT airdrop rewards are being shared on social media and through third-party websites. When a user clicks the link to visit the site, it connects to the user’s wallet or the user is directed to sign in to their wallet.
The scammers then drain the crypto in the wallet.
If you suspect that you or someone you know is a victim of this scam, you can submit a report to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
For details on how to protect yourself, you can visit the FBI’s guidance page for cryptocurrency scams.
