Robocallers have upped their scam game and they’re after your crypto
Professional scam organizations are targeting cryptocurrency users following the collapse of FTX, initiating millions of automated calls and text messages in an attempt to swindle information and funds.
Clayton LiaBraaten, senior executive adviser at Truecaller — an app that helps identify scam callers and messages — spoke to Cointelegraph, scammers often closely follow crypto news to better prey on their victims:
LiaBraaten said that Truecaller also saw an increase in scam communications relating to Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies when the market started to become volatile earlier in 2022.
He added “agents” ultimately looking to steal funds launch millions of automated “robocalls“ and texts trying to latch onto people's “fear, curiosity, and sometimes generosity.”
Phone numbers can be obtained in a variety of ways, including through data breaches that have leaked millions of numbers, or vitools that scrape social media platforms for information.
An imposter scam is most commonly seen by Truecaller, where a malicious actor will pretend to represent a support desk or similar entity from a major crypto exchange or business. Scammers will also publish their phone numbers on fake imitation websites, attempting to legitimize themselves.
Younger adults are more often targeted by fraudsters as “there’s so much information available about them because they put so much out there on social media,” according to LiaBraaten.
The abundance of information people put online allows scammers to send messages or calls that are in context to their intended targets, maki the malicious communications more convincing.
“They're great psychologists and social engineers so they will try as hard as they can to bring something contextually
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