The Popular Telegram-based game Hamster Kombat has been facing some challenges, with its users being targeted for fake airdrops and phishing scams.
Hamster Kombat, a tap-to-earn game based on Telegram, has attracted the attention of malicious actors seeking to exploit its viral popularity. According to a recent study conducted by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, numerous reports from participants of the game indicate that phishing attacks are increasingly targeting them.
Security Team Issues Warnings Regarding Hamster Kombat Threats
Olga Svistunova, a security expert and member of Kaspersky’s team, has expressed her opinion, stating that one of the most prevalent forms of these attacks is the result of scammers deceiving victims into inadvertently taking potentially self-harming actions. A portion of her statement is as follows:
“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.”
Svistunova also observed that the attacks are only effective when an attacker can access a gamer’s credentials. This is because the credentials grant them access to personal accounts and other pertinent information, which they can use to perpetrate their fraudulent activities.
In the interim, these individuals employ another method to execute their schemes. They have been reported to generate fabricated airdrops that direct victims to fraudulent links to capture their crypto wallet credentials.
Fake airdrops are common despite crypto fraudsters utilizing this method in the viral tapping game. Typically, assailants exploit the allure of free cryptocurrency to deceive unsuspecting victims into disclosing their crypto wallet information.
The final tactic these malevolent actors employ is the establishment of fraudulent websites. According to Kaspersky, scammers are also developing fraudulent websites that offer users complimentary currency. Nevertheless, their concealed objective is to obtain the users’ cryptocurrency through “fraudulent commission payments.”
An Increasing Number of Cryptocurrency Hacks
Hamster Kombat is undeniably one of the most popular mobile games globally. Pavel Durov, the inventor of Telegram, asserts that the game’s magnitude resulted in 239 million users in just 81 days.
In the same vein, the Hamster Kombat (HMSTR) token has been experiencing an increase in popularity. This is remarkably accurate, given that the token was listed on Bybit for pre-market trading on July 8.
Nevertheless, the recent report regarding attackers has raised questions about the initiative despite its success story. However, crypto breaches and phishing attacks are only partially novel to the industry. They have been present, closely following the crypto industry, and participated in every step.
To illustrate the preceding assertion, 785 reported breaches and exploits have resulted in the theft of nearly $19 billion in digital assets over the past 13 years. This has been the case since June 19, 2011, when the first known crypto breach was reported.