The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning that criminals are creating fake gaming apps to steal cryptocurrency worth millions of dollars. These apps are promoted as offering players the chance to earn money through gaming.
The criminals will contact potential victims online to establish a relationship and then try to direct them to a web or mobile game where rewards in the form of cryptocurrency can be earned by completing certain tasks, such as growing crops on an animated farm.
Victims are encouraged to join the game and create a cryptocurrency wallet. They are then encouraged to purchase cryptocurrency, as the more funds in the wallet, the greater the rewards that can be claimed. However, the funds are not available for withdrawal and victims are then asked to pay extra taxes or fees in order to reclaim the funds, which is not possible.
Tips to protect yourself:
- If you are taking part in cryptocurrency-based gaming, create a unique wallet – this will protect your primary cryptocurrency holdings if untrusted actors gain access to your gaming bankroll.
- Use a third-party blockchain explorer to check the balances in your gaming wallet.
- Periodically use a third-party token limit checker to view any apps or sites that have been given access to your funds, so that you can revoke their permissions.
The FBI urges victims of this kind of activity to report it to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov
Find out more at IC3
