Hamster Kombat users targeted by phishing attacks and fake airdrops

Reported by Cointelegraph: Cryptocurrency scammers are trying to bank on the viral popularity of the Telegram-based clicker game, by staging fraudulent airdrops.

Hamster Kombat players are targeted by scammers and malicious actors trying to profit from the tap-to-earn game’s viral popularity.

Players of the Telegram-based Hamster Kombat, one of the fastest-growing mobile games, are being targeted by phishing attacks. These attacks involve scammers tricking victims into taking certain actions that benefit the attackers.

The phishing attacks were recently discovered by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, according to security expert Olga Svistunova. She told Cointelegraph:

“Our team has exposed a series of fraudulent schemes targeting users of the 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.”
Successful attacks are carried out once attackers gain the users’ credentials, explained Svistunova:

"Once credentials are entered, attackers gain access to personal accounts, enabling them to steal data, blackmail, and send fraudulent messages. This scheme targets victims in Russia but fraudsters from other countries might also start luring victims within the same scenario.”

Hamster Kombat is among the most popular mobile games, amassing 239 million users in 81 days. The clicker game has 4-5 million new users joining daily, making it one of the fastest-growing digital services in the world, according to Telegram founder Pavel Durov.

Cybersecurity firm warns of fake Hamster Kombat crypto airdrops
Cryptocurrency scammers have also been targeting the viral clicker game with fake airdrops that lead to fraudulent links.

The fake Hamster Kombat airdrops are meant to steal users’ crypto wallet credentials, according to Kaspersky’s Svistunova:

“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.”
The Hamster Kombat (HMSTR) token has been gaining more popularity, after the token was listed on Bybit for pre-market trading on July 8.

The cybersecurity firm added that scammers are also creating fake websites promising free coins for users, with the intention to steal users’ cryptocurrency via “fraudulent commission payments.”

Crypto hacks and phishing attacks continue hurting the industry
Hacks and phishing attacks continue weighing down on the legitimacy of the cryptocurrency industry.

Nearly $19 billion worth of digital assets were stolen across 785 reported hacks and exploits during the past 13 years since June 19, 2011, when the first known crypto hack was reported.

The largest single crypto theft case remains the 2019 Plus Token fraud when attackers netted $2.9 billion worth of Bitcoin 
BTC and Ether.

Phishing scams are also a growing concern, particularly on some of the newest blockchains. For instance, phishing attacks on Base rose 1,900% in March, compared to January, resulting in an 18-fold increase in crypto stolen through phishing.