Tech Scammers Steal Millions in Crypto by Exploiting Google Vulnerabilities
December 21, 2024Adam Griffin, a firefighter from the Seattle area, fell victim to a sophisticated scam that resulted in the loss of $450,000 from his cryptocurrency wallet.
The scam began when Griffin clicked on a Google prompt on his phone, inadvertently granting scammers access to his Gmail and cryptocurrency wallet.
The thieves exploited this access to retrieve Griffin's Google Photos, where he had stored the seed phrase for his cryptocurrency wallet.
Frustrated by the ease with which scammers exploited Google's services, Griffin suggested that the tech giant could enhance its protective measures.
In response to the incident, Google stated that the phishing campaign was narrow and targeted, emphasizing that they will never make unsolicited calls to users.
The scam escalated when Griffin received a call from someone impersonating Google support, who falsely claimed that his Gmail had been hacked from Germany.
Minutes after the initial breach, Griffin was contacted again by a scammer posing as Coinbase support, further heightening his sense of urgency.
Another victim, referred to as Tony, was similarly misled by a scammer impersonating Google support, who instructed him to confirm account recovery via a Google prompt.
Tony's experience mirrored Griffin's, as he lost 45 bitcoins, valued at approximately $4.7 million, to the same scam group just days later.
Tony was tricked into entering his cryptocurrency seed phrase on a phishing website that mimicked Trezor, leading to the loss of his funds.
The mastermind behind these scams, known as 'Daniel', boasted about their operations, claiming there are no consequences for their actions.
Experts advise individuals to be cautious of unsolicited calls regarding account security and recommend using strong, unique passwords along with robust multi-factor authentication methods.
Summary based on 2 sources
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Sources
Krebs on Security • Dec 18, 2024
How to Lose a Fortune with Just One Bad ClickBoing Boing • Dec 21, 2024
Father of 2 young boys loses $5 million after falling for terrifying new Google scam