Crypto scammers targeting major Trump supporters

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As an experienced cybersecurity analyst, I am deeply concerned about the recent surge in crypto scams targeting Donald Trump’s loyal supporters. The trust and interest of his base are being exploited through fake crypto websites and misleading donation centers.

Following Donald Trump’s endorsement of cryptocurrencies, there has been an influx of scammers preying on his devoted fan base.

Scammers take advantage of Trump’s devoted followers by creating deceptive cryptocurrency sites and disguised donation platforms.

Recently, Trump’s announcement about accepting cryptocurrency donations for his campaign, coupled with his federal conviction, sparked an enormous influx of financial contributions to his campaign.

As a researcher at Netcraft, a London-based cybersecurity firm, I’ve been closely observing the digital landscape surrounding the Trump campaign in light of these latest developments. Specifically, I’ve been tracking various cyberattacks that have emerged in this context.

Netcraft uncovered deceptive fundraising scams masquerading as the Trump campaign. Some of these scams utilized incorrectly spelled website addresses, whereas others employed a multitude of misleading domain names for phishing and smishing activities.

Misspelled web domains

One effective method scammers employ to amass funds is by utilizing slightly misrepresented website addresses. For instance, some domains were registered shortly after campaign announcements, such as “donalbjtrump.com” and “doonaldjtrump.com,” according to Netcraft. These websites subtly differ from the correct one in terms of letter arrangements, with variations like double “o’s” or a “b” instead of a “d” in the name “Donald.”

These websites feature crypto donation centers where unknowing supporters can give money. 

Netcraft reveals that the individuals behind the deceitful domain have been keeping abreast of ongoing political developments. On May 31st, following the announcement of Donald Trump’s guilty verdict, these scammers swiftly adapted their tactics to resonate with the “Never Surrender” slogan of the Trump campaign. Leveraging the sense of urgency among Trump supporters and potential victims, they effectively manipulated the situation for their gain.

“Given that the Trump campaign amassed over $50 million in donations within a day, it’s uncertain how much of those funds could have been diverted by the malicious actors behind these scams.”

Fake payment processes

As a financial analyst, I’ve noticed that donation scams often imitate genuine cryptocurrency payment systems to deceive unsuspecting victims. For instance, the Trump campaign employs a donation process linked to Coinbase. While this method is legitimate, it can be effortlessly replicated by scammers to solicit fraudulent funds.

Phishing websites have been set up to trick users into believing they are interacting with Coingate. These fraudulent sites utilize crypto payment processes via Plisio and Oxapay for transactions. Additionally, Netcraft identified scams disguised as donation opportunities, which redirect users to legitimate campaign websites only when opting for traditional payment methods instead of cryptocurrency.

Scam sophistication

Scammers are taking advantage of the widespread support for Trump’s campaign by sending out a massive volume of emails and text messages, aiming to trick unsuspecting donors into visiting fraudulent websites.

Netcraft interacted with an individual impersonating the “Trump National Committee” and acquired crucial threat data, encompassing bank account details involved in money laundering schemes, payment app information, email addresses, among other revealing information.

During this interchange, it became clear that lawbreakers are enhancing their methods by employing artificial intelligence (AI) to develop increasingly complex and convincing frauds.

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2024-06-18 19:34