Hamster Kombat Users Hit by Phishing Attacks and Fake Airdrops
YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — Hamster Kombat, a popular Telegram-based game, has become a target for phishing attacks. Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the game’s rapid rise, tricking users into giving away their personal information. Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky discovered these scams, which deceive players with promises of converting in-game coins to rubles through phishing links that require Telegram login credentials.
“Our team has exposed a series of fraudulent schemes targeting users of Hamster Kombat. In one scheme, scammers lure victims with promises of converting in-game coins to rubles through phishing links that require Telegram login credentials,”
said security expert Olga Svistunova.
Once users enter their credentials, attackers gain access to personal accounts. This allows them to steal data, blackmail users, and send fraudulent messages. Although these attacks mainly target Russian users, they could spread to other countries.
Fake Airdrops Target Hamster Kombat Users’ Crypto Wallets
Cryptocurrency scammers are also targeting Hamster Kombat players with fake airdrops. These scams offer fake airdrops of Hamster cryptocurrency, aiming to steal users’ crypto wallet credentials. Kaspersky’s Svistunova explained this tactic:
“Scammers exploit the allure of free cryptocurrency by offering fake airdrops of Hamster cryptocurrency, aiming to steal crypto wallet information… Fraudsters also set up phishing sites claiming to sell Hamster cryptocurrency at a discount, deceiving users into providing access to their crypto wallets.”
Fraudulent presale for Hamster Kombat. Source: Kaspersky
The Hamster Kombat token, known as HMSTR, has been gaining popularity, especially after being listed on Bybit for pre-market trading on July 8. This increasing interest in the token has made it a prime target for scammers.
Hamster Kombat on Bybit Pre-Market Trading. Source: Bybit Hamster Kombat’s Rapid Growth Attracts Cybercriminals
Hamster Kombat has seen explosive growth, amassing 239 million users in just 81 days. With 4-5 million new users joining daily, it is one of the fastest-growing digital services globally, according to Telegram founder Pavel Durov. This rapid growth has unfortunately made it an attractive target for cybercriminals.
Hamster Kombat’s Viral Growth on Telegram. Source: Du Rove’s Channel
Scammers are creating fake websites promising free coins, aiming to steal users’ cryptocurrency via fraudulent commission payments.
Crypto Industry Faces $19 Billion in Hacks and Phishing Attacks Over 13 Years
The cryptocurrency industry continues to suffer from hacks and phishing attacks. Over the past 13 years, nearly $19 billion worth of digital assets have been stolen across 785 reported incidents since the first known crypto hack in June 2011. The largest theft remains the 2019 Plus Token fraud, where attackers netted $2.9 billion worth of Bitcoin and Ether.
Crypto hacks & scams per year by USD value. Source: Crystal intelligence
Phishing scams are a growing concern, particularly on new blockchains. For instance, phishing attacks on the Base blockchain rose 1,900% in March compared to January, leading to an 18-fold increase in crypto stolen through phishing.
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