The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warning Thursday about cryptocurrency scammers impersonating cryptocurrency exchanges to steal victims’ funds.
According to the recently issued warning, the scam begins by contacting the intended victim, usually via an unsolicited phone call or message, impersonating an employee of a cryptocurrency exchange.
The scammer then falsely informs his victim that someone is trying to hack into or compromise his account. The scammers then trick the victim by telling him or her that “he or she needs to secure his or her account by providing login credentials, clicking a link and/or providing identification information.” With this information, the cryptocurrency scammer is able to access the victim’s account and drain his funds.
The FBI is urging potential targets of the digital asset scam to avoid clicking links, downloading attachments, opening attachments or receiving calls made by suspicious numbers.
“If you receive a call or message indicating any problem with your account or a breach, do not respond, even if it appears official and indicates that you need to act immediately,” the alert reads. However, if you answer the call, the FBI suggests you hang up immediately.
“Call the official phone number of the cryptocurrency exchange to see if there is a problem,” it says – the federal agency states. “Do not use any phone number provided by the caller.”
North Korea’s ties to cryptocurrency hacking
Cryptocurrency fraud is now the riskiest type of fraud in the country, according to the Better Business Bureau. The FBI has previously issued warnings about North Korea’s state-sponsored crypto-hacking collective, Lazarus Group, which has amassed billions in stolen digital assets over the years.
Just last month, the federal agency issued a warning highlighting the country’s cyber espionage program under Kim Jong Un, which aims to fund the authoritarian regime’s military and nuclear programs.
Most importantly, Lazarus Group was discovered to be behind the $60-million Alphapo hack, the $37-million Coinspaid theft and the $100-million Atomic Wallet theft – all of which occurred in June 2023.
The investigative agency’s latest alert does not identify any specific fraudster, and it is unclear whether Lazarus Group can be linked to this latest string of blockchain schemes. The FBI is asking anyone who believes they may have been the victim of a crypto scam to contact the International Crime Complaint Center.
