Crypto Phishing Losses Drop to $10.25 Million Amid Rising Malware Attacks
ScamSniffer reported that in January, 9,220 victims lost $10.25 million to cryptocurrency phishing scams, a 56% decline from December's $23.58 million. Key losses included:
- $1 million stolen via Uniswap's Permit2 feature
- $549,000 lost in a direct transfer scam
- $471,000 taken through transaction simulation spoofing
Malware Attacks Increase
Despite reduced financial losses, malware attacks have surged. ScamSniffer noted a 2,000% rise in Telegram-based "Fake Safeguard" scams since November. Solana users are being targeted through fake Phantom wallet popups aiming to steal seed phrases.
Ongoing Social Engineering Scams
Coinbase users lost over $300 million annually to social engineering scams, with at least $65 million stolen between December and January. Scammers often use spoofed numbers to impersonate Coinbase, guiding victims to fake websites.
ScamSniffer also highlighted an increase in X impersonation scams. Users should revoke permissions for suspicious sites and avoid "recovery experts" promising guaranteed refunds, as these can be scams themselves.