Crypto Scammers Exploit: Elon Musk Speaks on Cryptocurrency

By Oliver Devane 

Update: In the previous 24 hours (from time of publication)  McAfee has recognized 15 extra rip-off websites bringing the full to 26. The mixed worth of the wallets shared on these websites is over $1,300,000 which is a rise of roughly $1,000,000 since this weblog was final revealed. This highlights the dimensions of this present rip-off marketing campaign. The desk inside this weblog has been up to date to incorporate the brand new websites and crypto-wallets.

McAfee has recognized a number of Youtube channels which had been live-streaming a modified model of a dwell stream referred to as ‘The B Word’ the place Elon Musk, Cathie Wood, and Jack Dorsey focus on varied facets of cryptocurrency.  

The modified dwell streams make the unique video smaller and put a body round it promoting malicious websites that it claims will double the quantity of cryptocurrency you ship them. As the subject of the video is on cryptocurrency it provides some legitimacy to the web sites being marketed.  

The unique video is proven beneath on the left and a modified one which features a reference to a rip-off website is proven on the appropriate.  

We recognized a number of completely different streams occurring at the same similar time. The photographs of some are proven beneath: 

The YouTube streams promoted several websites which shared the same theme. They declare to ship cryptocurrency price double the worth which they’ve acquired. For instance, if you happen to ship 1BTC you’ll obtain 2BTC in return. One of the location‘s frequently requested questions (FAQ) is proven beneath: 

Here are some extra examples of the rip-off websites we found: 

The websites try and trick the guests into pondering that others are sending cryptocurrency to it by exhibiting a desk with latest transactions. This is faux and is generated by JavaScript which creates random crypto wallets and quantities after which provides these to the desk. 

The wallets related to the malicious websites have acquired a big quantity of transactions with a mixed worth of $280,000 as of 5 PM UTC on the 5th of May 2022 

Scammers have been utilizing social media websites similar to Twitter and Youtube to try to trick customers into parting methods with their cryptocurrency for the previous few years. McAfee urges its prospects to be vigilant and if one thing sounds too good to be true then it’s almost definitely not respectable.  

Our prospects are protected in opposition to the malicious websites detailed on this weblog as they’re blocked with McAfee Web Advisor