Since its initial release, the Korean series “Squid Game” has become a global cultural phenomenon, capturing unprecedented audience interest.
As the second season approaches, its impact is not limited to viewers only, but has extended to include multiple fields, including the Internet and the cryptocurrency market.

Scam called "Squid Game"

As the series grew in popularity, its name was exploited as a pretext for carrying out scams in the cryptocurrency market.

Commission Uncovers Massive Cryptocurrency Scam
Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) conducted a raid resulting in the arrest of 792 suspects involved in schemes known as crypto romance scams. The fraudsters convinced victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency projects, leading to significant financial losses.
Links to International Groups
EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren revealed that among those arrested were 148 Chinese nationals and 40 Filipino citizens. The scammers operated from a luxury building in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub. Most of the victims were citizens of the United States and Europe.
During the raid, agents seized computers, mobile phones, and vehicles. Uwujaren stated that Nigerian fraudsters were recruited by international groups to target victims online using phishing techniques. Once the victims’ trust was gained, their information was handed over to foreign counterparts, who carried out the fraud.
Collaboration with International Partners
The EFCC announced it is working with international partners to identify potential links to organized crime. This collaboration aims to strengthen actions against similar fraudulent activities.
Another Case: Nigerian Scammer Defrauds Australians of $5 Million
The arrests follow a separate case involving Osang Otukpa, who allegedly defrauded 139 Australians of $5.04 million (8 million AUD) through a fraudulent cryptocurrency platform called Liquid Asset Group.
Otukpa reportedly used five different aliases and lured victims through social media. EFCC agents apprehended Otukpa on December 6, shortly after he landed at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. According to reports, he will be charged once the investigation is complete.
Conclusion
The EFCC continues to intensify its efforts to combat cryptocurrency fraud, working closely with global partners to curb these illegal activities. The crackdown on 792 suspects and cases like Otukpa’s highlight Nigeria’s strengthened fight against financial crimes.

#hackers , #Cryptoscam , #cryptofraud , #CryptoSecurity , #CryptoNewss

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Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) have become an increasingly popular way for companies to raise funds by offering investors a new cryptocurrency. ICOs are typically unregulated and are often used by scammers to defraud unsuspecting investors. In this article, we will discuss the various types of ICO scams and how to DYOR to identify them.

1. What is an ICO?

An ICO is a fundraising method in which a company creates a new cryptocurrency and offers it for sale to investors in exchange for established cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum. ICOs are similar to Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), but with cryptocurrencies instead of shares.

2. Types of ICO scams

2.1 Exit Scam

Exit scam is a type of fraud where the creators of the ICO disappear after raising funds from investors, leaving investors with worthless tokens. The creators of the ICO may take the funds and never deliver the product or service promised. In some cases, they may even delete their website and social media accounts to avoid detection.

2.2 Pump and Dump Scam

In a pump and dump scam, scammers buy large quantities of a new cryptocurrency and then promote it heavily on social media and other channels to inflate its price. Once the price has risen, they sell their tokens, leaving other investors with worthless tokens.

2.3 Phishing Scam

In a phishing scam, scammers create fake ICO websites that look similar to legitimate ones. They use these sites to collect investor information, including email addresses and cryptocurrency wallet addresses, which they use to steal funds from investors.

2.4 Fake Team Scam

In a fake team scam, scammers create fake profiles of team members with impressive credentials to make the ICO appear more legitimate. However, when investors try to contact these team members, they find that they do not exist.

3. How to identify an ICO scam

3.1 Lack of transparency

If the ICO lacks transparency or fails to provide clear information about its team, product, or business model, it may be a scam.

3.2 Unrealistic promises

If an ICO promises unrealistic returns or claims to have no risks, it is likely a scam. Don't fall in Ludacris claims.

3.3 No clear roadmap

If an ICO does not have a clear roadmap or timeline for the development of its product or service, it may be a scam.

3.4 No code available

If an ICO does not provide access to its code or whitepaper, it may be a scam.

3.5 No clear use case

If an ICO does not have a clear use case for its token, it may be a scam. Usually these kind of project claim revolutionary change but in ground level they are zero.

Initial coins offerings are always a luring aspect for retail investors. The way a project market their ICO is somewhere people got hooked. There's no doubt 100s of good project our there with legit ICO and proper roadmap. But the number is tiny.

The anonymous nature of crypto sometimes boost these types of scam. So next time before investing a lucrative ICO make sure the project tick boxes all those area. If not it's a area of concern and you should do more research before putting penny on that.

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#dyor #ICO #cryptoscam

4. Citations:

"What is an Initial Coin Offering (ICO)?" Investopedia, 2022, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/initial-coin-offering-ico.asp

"ICO Scams: How to Identify and Avoid Them," Forbes, 2021, https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/ico-scams/ "10 Warning Signs of ICO Scams," CryptoSlate, 2019, https://cryptoslate.com/10-warning-signs-of-ico-scams/

Shanghai Police Bust Cryptocurrency Scam Gang
Shanghai police successfully dismantled an organized group of fraudsters who scammed victims through fake investment platforms targeting cryptocurrency traders. Investigators in the Yangpu District arrested 16 individuals involved in the fraudulent scheme following an extensive investigation.
Fraudsters Used Fake Identities and Manipulation
The investigation revealed that the gang, led by individuals identified as Yang and Yu, infiltrated cryptocurrency investment chat groups while posing as “investment masters.” Using this tactic, they gained the trust of victims and directed them to a fake platform for cryptocurrency contract trading, which they had created.
On this platform, the fraudsters exploited victims’ desire for quick profits. Victims were persuaded to execute multiple trades, incurring high fees in the process. Manipulative tactics included convincing victims to increase their investments using a fraudulent “profit and loss ratio” mechanism. This trick led victims to believe their financial losses were due to poor market decisions rather than the fraudulent platform, allowing the gang to extract even more funds.
Arrests and Suspects’ Confessions
Following their arrest, all suspects admitted to their crimes. The Yangpu District police have placed the 16 individuals under compulsory criminal measures on suspicion of fraud. The case is currently under further investigation, according to authorities.
Conclusion
This case highlights the growing risks associated with cryptocurrency investments and fraudulent platforms. Police urge the public to exercise caution when engaging with unverified investment schemes and platforms.

#CryptoFraud , #CryptoNewss , #bitcoin , #ChinaCrypto , #Cryptoscam

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This is a real experience that unfolded tonight, and I’m sharing it to help others avoid falling into the same trap.

It started with a random phone call from a woman with a British accent asking if I’d recovered my Ledger. Confused, I said no. She then asked if I was in the Netherlands—again, no. She explained that an investigation had been opened, and I would soon receive further instructions.

Immediately after, I received an email from Ledger, seemingly legit, complete with a case number about Ledger recovery. The email appeared verified, and I was getting pulled in deeper. Not long after, I got another call, this time from a man named Adam, also with a British accent. He told me my device likely had corrupted firmware, and I was particularly vulnerable because I had just completed a firmware update on my Nano X.

Adam proceeded to explain that someone had recovered my private keys and was only missing my PIN to access my funds, which they could crack in 4 to 6 hours. At this point, red flags were going off, but the stress of the situation clouded my judgment, especially with the email that appeared directly from Ledger.

Adam directed me to a supposed diagnostic site to check for firmware corruption without unlocking my device. The result? A red error code. This heightened my anxiety, but things felt off when I ran the diagnostic again with my Nano X powered off—same error. Then I ran it on my Nano S, which isn’t even wireless, and got the same error. Something wasn’t adding up.

Then came the big ask: he wanted me to use the recovery feature and enter my seed phrase to generate new private keys. Alarm bells went off. Everyone knows to never enter seed words on a computer. He dangled the promise of $50,000 in insurance coverage if I followed "procedure" but hinted I could lose everything if I didn’t act fast.

Sensing the manipulation, I stalled and told him to call back in 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I hopped onto another computer, ran the diagnostics again on the wrong device, and still got the same error code—convinced now this was a scam. I initiated a chat with Ledger’s bot and, sure enough, received an email with a case number almost identical to the one the scammers had sent.

When Adam called back, I casually mentioned that I had opened another case with Ledger to confirm the diagnostic link. Click—he hung up immediately. That’s when I knew it was all a con.

These scammers were clever, using the Ledger chatbot to send emails that appeared legitimate and manipulating me through fear of losing access to my funds. Ledger never contacts you by phone—this is a big red flag to remember.

Fake Ledger Live Scam – $15K Drained from My Nano S

This isn’t the only scam targeting Ledger users. Earlier this year, I became the victim of a phishing attack, where hackers drained $15,000 worth of crypto from my Nano S after corrupting my PC. They deployed a fake version of Ledger Live that prompted me to share sensitive information.

Funds stolen:

0.17804 BTC (Bitcoin) – $7,835.66

10,699.6 ADA (Cardano) – $5,499.18

0.711888 ETH (Ethereum) – $1,592.85

4.0139 LTC (Litecoin) – $261.32

I know I made a critical error by entering my seed phrase, but the sophistication of these scams can fool even cautious users. If you’ve fallen victim, file a police report and share your information—maybe it can help bring these criminals down.

#cryptoscam #MemeCoinTrending #CanaryLitecoinETF

Hello Crypto Enthusiasts,
We've probably all heard of the famous crypto signal groups. If you happen to be unaware of them, they are basically groups where one or more "experienced traders" give you signals on when to buy certain coins and when to sell them. They usually charge a monthly fee to be part of the group. The group I joined offered signals for spot and futures trading with leverage up to 50X.
I saw one of these groups advertised a lot on social media in my country, and they were offering a three-day free trial, so I thought, "Why not? Let's see what it's all about." I joined their Telegram group, where there were about 500 members. In the group, they posted about their supposedly high returns, but interestingly, they never mentioned losses, which is typical. This was the "standard" group, where people who hadn't paid yet were. Since I had the free trial, I was invited to the VIP group.

$320 Million Hack Leads to Liquidation
Japanese crypto exchange DMM Bitcoin has announced its closure following a cyberattack that resulted in a loss of $320 million. Despite months of attempts to recover customer funds, the company ultimately decided to transfer its remaining accounts to another operator, SBI VC Trade.
Lazarus Group Suspected as the Culprit
Renowned crypto analyst ZachXBT has pointed to the Lazarus Group, a North Korean hacker collective, as the likely perpetrator of the attack. His investigation traced approximately $35 million of the stolen funds to a Cambodian money-laundering network and found strong evidence of the group’s involvement. However, DMM Bitcoin did not gain any tangible benefits from these findings.
DMM Bitcoin’s Official Statement
According to The Nikkei, DMM Bitcoin stated its decision to close the exchange was made with the protection of its customers as the top priority. In a previous statement, the company explained:
"Protecting our customers is our number one priority. Therefore, we have decided to transfer all accounts and assets to another company. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. We plan to cease operations once this transfer is complete."
The exchange attempted a fundraising effort in June to recover customer losses. Despite these efforts, the losses could not be fully compensated, leading to the decision to transfer its assets to SBI VC Trade and wind down operations.
Call for Stricter Security Measures
The case of DMM Bitcoin underscores the need for robust security protocols for cryptocurrency exchanges. Shortly before DMM Bitcoin’s closure, Japanese financial regulators warned other platforms to implement tighter oversight and enhanced security measures.
Crypto Hacks Declining, but Risks Remain
While the overall number of cryptocurrency hacks is decreasing, their sophistication continues to grow. The DMM Bitcoin incident serves as a reminder for users to rely exclusively on trusted and secure platforms.

#CryptoHack , #Cryptoscam , #HackerAlert , #CryptoNewss , #BTC☀

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#crypto #cryptoscam #writtoearn #BinanceSquareFamily

A South Korean CEO has reportedly been arrested for allegedly orchestrating a massive Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of an estimated $366 million. According to a report in Crypto news, Byun Young-oh, the head of Wakon, a cryptocurrency platform, is accused of running the scheme alongside an accomplice named Yeom.
Wakon, with approximately 12,000 members, offered virtual currency staking products without the required financial registration with authourities. The company, which operated has across South Korea, targeted elderly citizens. The company promised senior citizens exorbitant returns of up to 45% to 50% on Ethereum deposits. Wakon has branches throughout South Korea.
The scheme unraveled in mid-2023 when investors were unable to withdraw their funds. Despite assurances from Byun, the company's collapse became evident by November when its Seoul office was shuttered.

Prosecutors have charged Byun and Yeom with fraud and are investigating the extent of the scheme. While Byun has denied any wrongdoing, claiming ignorance of Ponzi schemes, authorities are working to identify additional victims and potential accomplices.
In a similar incident, the US Securities and Exchange Commission charged an crypto trading company with defrauding 200,000 investors worldwide. Continuing its crypto fraud crackdown, the SEC has charged NovaTech, NovaTech, its executives, and affiliated promoters over a multi-level marketing fraud scheme that generated $650 million in digital assets.

North Korean Hackers Orchestrate Sophisticated Attack
A recent postmortem report reveals that North Korea-backed hackers, identified as UNC4736 (also known as Citrine Sleet), exploited Radiant Capital in a $50 million attack. The operation involved advanced social engineering tactics, with the attackers impersonating a "trusted former contractor" and distributing malware via a zipped PDF file.
Phishing Through Fake Domains and Data Manipulation
The hackers created a fake domain mimicking a legitimate Radiant Capital contractor and reached out to the Radiant team through Telegram. They requested feedback on an alleged smart contract audit project. However, the shared file concealed INLETDRIFT malware, which created macOS backdoors, granting the hackers access to hardware wallets of at least three Radiant developers.
Manipulated Transactions and Compromised Security
During the attack on October 16, the malware tampered with the Safe{Wallet} interface (formerly Gnosis Safe), displaying legitimate transaction data to developers while executing malicious transactions in the background. Despite adhering to stringent security protocols like Tenderly simulations and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), the attackers successfully compromised multiple developer devices.
UNC4736’s Links to North Korea
According to cybersecurity firm Mandiant, UNC4736 is connected to North Korea's General Reconnaissance Bureau. This group is notorious for targeting cryptocurrency companies and financial institutions globally.
North Korean Hackers Fund Nuclear Programs
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has previously warned about North Korean hackers’ sophisticated tactics, including targeting cryptocurrency exchanges and prominent firms. Research indicates that these state-backed groups have stolen approximately $3 billion from the cryptocurrency sector since 2017. The stolen funds are reportedly used to finance North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
A Concerning Trend in Cybersecurity
This case highlights the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks, as hackers deploy social engineering and advanced tools to target cryptocurrency firms. Radiant Capital fell victim to a meticulously planned operation, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced security measures within the crypto industry.

#CryptoNewss , #NorthKoreaHackers , #hackers , #Cryptoscam , #CryptoSecurity

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