Cryptocurrency Phishing Scams Lead to Significant Losses in January
According to Odaily, blockchain security firm Scam Sniffer reported that in January, 9,220 victims fell prey to cryptocurrency phishing scams, resulting in a total loss of $10.25 million. This marks a 56% decrease compared to December's $23.58 million losses. Despite the decline, the report highlights that cybercriminals are continuously refining and deploying more sophisticated attack methods. Ethereum users were the most affected, accounting for over 80% of the stolen funds, with losses exceeding $8.6 million. Users of BNB Chain and Arbitrum lost $710,000 and $572,000, respectively, while Polygon and Optimism users faced losses of approximately $191,000 and $82,000. The company noted that malware-driven attacks were predominant. The Uniswap Permit2 vulnerability alone resulted in $1 million being stolen, while direct transfers caused victims to lose $549,000, and transaction simulation scams accounted for $471,000 in losses. Another growing threat involves scams on Telegram, which have surged by over 2,000% since November 2024.