The New Wave of Crypto Scams
In an era where scams evolve faster than a toddler can say ‘mine!’, phishing scammers are at it again, this time cloning the websites of reputable crypto media outlet Blockworks and the Ethereum blockchain scanner Etherscan.
Fake News, Real Danger
Picture this: you’re scrolling through your favorite crypto news site, and out pops a sensational headline about a multimillion-dollar exploit on Uniswap. Sounds juicy, right? Well, that’s exactly what the fake Blockworks site displayed, urging unsuspecting users to connect their wallets to a fraudulent Etherscan page to effectively rescind approvals. Spoiler alert: it didn’t end well for those who bit.
The Compromised Reddit Accounts
The plot thickened when compromised Reddit accounts shared this misinformation across numerous popular crypto subreddits. It’s like an endless game of telephone, where instead of whispering secrets, they’re spilling the beans on how to get scammed.
Behind the Curtain: How the Scam Works
The fake Etherscan site was designed like a token and smart contract approval checker, but instead of checking approvals, it was quietly siphoning Ether from hapless victims’ wallets. Blockchain security firm Beosin stepped into the ring, revealing the scammer’s intention to drain wallets with a minimum of 0.1 Ether—worth about $180. But don’t worry, the scam was so sloppy that “there is no phishing transaction prompted after a wallet is connected.” Talk about a less-than-competent villain!
Domain Registration Timeline
Curiosity piqued? An age check on these domains revealed that the fake Etherscan site, approvalscan.io, was registered on October 25, followed closely by the scam Blockworks site, blockworks.media, a day later. Scammers really are like bad copycats—always just a day behind.
The Broader Scamming Landscape
In a broader context, Web3 anti-scam platform Scam Sniffer reported on October 25 that the scammers are also running similar operations on sites cloning the news outlet Decrypt. In short, there’s a whole consortium of would-be scammers ready to pounce at the next moment of weakness.
Final Thoughts: Stay Alert!
As the cryptocurrency space continues to humor us with wild stories and unfortunate events, it’s crucial for users to stay vigilant. Always verify sources, check URLs, and give that intuition of yours a good workout. Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. In the wild west of crypto, only the skeptical survive!
