Fraudulent actors in the cryptocurrency ecosystem are staging fake airdrops under the guise of the popular Telegram mini app game.
Players of the rapidly growing mobile game Hamster Kombat are being targeted by scammers. These malicious players seek to exploit its viral success through phishing attacks that trick victims into actions that benefit the attackers.
Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has identified these schemes, as expert Olga Svistunova mentioned to Cointelegraph, stating,
“Our team has uncovered multiple fraudulent schemes aimed at Hamster Kombat users. In one case, scammers lure victims with promises to convert in-game coins to rubles via phishing links requesting Telegram login credentials.”
Once scammers obtain these credentials, they can access personal accounts. This will lead to data theft, blackmail, and sending fraudulent messages. While this scheme mainly targets victims in Russia, similar tactics may soon be adopted by fraudsters in other countries.
Hamster Kombat is among the most popular mobile games. They have amassed 239 million users in just 81 days. This clicker game attracts 4-5 million new users daily, making it one of the fastest-growing digital services globally, as noted by Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
The Hamster Kombat (HMSTR) token has gained popularity since its pre-market launch on Bybit on July 8. However, a cybersecurity firm warns that scammers are creating fake websites that promise free coins to steal users’ cryptocurrency through fraudulent commission payments.
Phishing scams are increasingly problematic, especially on newer blockchains. For example, phishing attacks on Base surged 1,900% in March compared to January, leading to an 18-fold rise in stolen crypto.
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