It appears that hackers managed to gain access to the New York Post 's X (formerly Twitter) account , attempting to defraud members of the crypto community .
Members of this community reported receiving private messages from the official New York Post, inviting them to participate in a supposed podcast and communicate with the site via Telegram.
The scam was spotted on May 3 by Alex Katz, founder of cybersecurity firm Kerberus, who posted a screenshot of the fake message. The message purportedly came from journalist Paul Sperry, via the newspaper's official account.
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Cybersecurity expert “Drew” noted that what makes the attack special is that the hackers gained access without directly stealing money or posting deceptive links to “empty” wallets. Instead, they try to direct victims to Telegram, where the scam is likely to continue. After sending the message, the scammers block users from replying, so that the real New York Post team doesn’t get notified and realize the breach.
Additionally, according to Donny Clutterbuck of NFT platform Fomojis, the scammers attempted to contact him. Clutterbuck said that a vulnerability in Zoom for this scam. When turning on the sound on the platform, a pop-up window appeared asking to turn on WiFi — which, he said, could give the attacker remote access.
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Blockchain researcher ZachXBT reported that this incident resembles a previous one, in which private messages were sent from the X account of the news website The Defiant.
Fraudsters are turning to Zoom to trap users
Scammers are increasingly targeting unsuspecting users via private messages (using social engineering techniques) after creating an illusion of trust. The Zoom video conferencing platform seems to have recently become another avenue for attacks in the crypto space.
In April, Emblem Vault CEO Jake Gallen warned the public about scammers exploiting Zoom after he himself fell victim to a scam that cost him $100,000 in crypto. The attacker contacted him via X, offering to interview him on Zoom, and during the conversation managed to install malware that emptied his digital wallets.
See also: Arrests of people for crypto investment fraud via AI
It's worth noting that this isn't the first time the New York Post. In 2022, an employee hacked the account, posting a series of provocative messages that mimicked real news headlines.
What are the recommendations for avoiding crypto scams?
First, it's important to do your research before investing anywhere or connecting your wallet to any service.
Second, beware of exaggerated profit promises. If someone promises consistent and high profits without any risk, then you are probably dealing with a scam.
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See also: BBC: Data breach affects former and current employees
Third, use trusted and verified cryptocurrency exchange platforms. Trusted platforms usually have strict security measures and it is harder to fall victim to fraud.
Fourth, protect your personal data. Never share your private keys or other sensitive information with others.
Finally, it is important not to invest more money than you are willing to lose. Investing in cryptocurrencies is risky and you should always be prepared for the possibility of loss.
Source: cointelegraph.com
