Avast has detected a group of scammers posing as Ukrainian citizens affected by the current conflict to request bitcoins on social networks.
The success that the Ukrainian government has had in raising funds in cryptocurrencies, in the midst of the current crisis caused by Russia's invasion of the country, has awakened the greed of a group of scammers who are using the armed conflict to obtain bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies, easily and fraudulently.
Security software company Avast alerted recently about a wave of scams that is being carried out through social networks and that seeks to take advantage of the current humanitarian crisis that is being experienced in the country, to take bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies from people who wish to provide financial support. In the report, Avast notes that a group of scammers are posing as Ukrainians who desperately need financial help to trick people out of money through cryptocurrency donations.
The cybersecurity company, of Czech origin, reported that it has dedicated a group of researchers to quickly detect and identify new threats that are emerging as a result of the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Avast specified that it only seeks to guarantee security and confidence to people who want to support others in the midst of the current situation.
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Social networks, the favorites of scammers
Avast researchers point out that social networks are being subject to a large number of scams related to the current crisis that citizens are going through in Ukraine. On Twitter, scammers are using the Bitcoin hashtag, along with fake accounts and usernames that only show letters and numbers, to ask for donations in this cryptocurrency.
This same method is being used on other social networks, such as TickTok, to obtain money from people willing to help others in need, the company's researchers indicated. Given the growing wave of fraudulent posts and messages on social networks, Avast recommends not sending money to the accounts of unknown people, but rather using official channels or organizations if you want to provide some type of support or help.
The “tokenukraine” scam
In addition to false posts on social media, scammers are also creating fraudulent organizations to deceive the crypto community, with the aim of making easy money.
ESET, another major cybersecurity company, posted on Twitter that the “Tokenukraine” organization is a scam. Researchers from this company reported that the organization is not registered as an NGO and that it uses the token “UkraineTokens” to trick unsuspecting users and fraudulently obtain money.
Scammers are also using forums and websites to request financial aid. Although Avast said it is difficult to detect who is a scammer and who is a person in need with legitimate requests, it was best to stay away from individual and unknown accounts.
Since the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine broke out, the Ukrainian government has raised nearly $34 million in donations from different cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, ethereum, polkadot and dogecoin.
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