Telegram’s endorsement of The Open Network (TON) blockchain and its plan to include its own Toncoin token has attracted scammers looking to take advantage of unsuspecting token holders.
A cybersecurity firm, Kaspersky, shared details of a cryptocurrency scam targeting Telegram users worldwide. The scam has been active since at least November 2023, capitalizing on the growing interest and investment in TON.
Scammers are promoting a sophisticated referral program that ultimately aims to steal TON tokens from users, as per Kaspersky experts.
Scammers are luring people in with promises of an exclusive earning program. They send links through friends or contacts, making it seem like a great opportunity.
Once a user clicks on the link, they are pushed to join an unofficial Telegram bot. They say it’s for storing cryptocurrency safely and ask you to link your Web3 wallet to it.
To make it seem legit, they tell you to buy Toncoins from official sources like the Telegram bot, P2P markets, or exchanges.
Then comes the tricky part: they tell you that to start earning, you need to buy “boosters” from another bot. They name these boosters “bike,” “car,” “train,” “plane,” or “rocket,” each with different costs ranging from 5 to 500 Toncoins.
Users lose anywhere between $2 and $2,700 through the targeted pyramid scheme. After convincing users to purchase fake boosters, the scammers also tout a referral program that requires victims to create private Telegram groups with friends and contacts.
The scammers promise earnings from two sources, including a fixed payment of 25 TON for each invited friend and commission based on the booster tariff purchased by your referrals.
Also Read: Telegram Enhances Blockchain Use with Tokenized Stickers and Emojis
