How to avoid falling for scams like Crypto.com email scam
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is the fake email from crypto[.]com?
We have identified that this email is a deceptive message masquerading as a notification concerning the security of the recipient's NFT account. Email of this type, categorized as phishing scams, are designed by scammers to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information. It is recommended to ignore and refrain from engaging with such emails.
More about the fake crypto[.]com email
This phishing email masquerades as a message from crypto[.]com, a legitimate platform. It claims that recipients are offered to enhance the security of their recipient's NFT accounts with additional features. It prompts recipients to set up 2-factor authentication and an anti-phishing code by clicking the provided button.
However, the true intention behind this email is to deceive recipients into clicking a misleading link that opens a deceptive page requesting sensitive information. Clicking the "Set Up Now" button opens a fake site designed to lure visitors into choosing their wallet provider and entering recovery phrases.
This access enables scammers to steal cryptocurrency funds stored in those wallets. Cryptocurrency theft can have significant financial consequences for victims, as stolen funds are often difficult or impossible to recover. Therefore, it is important to be careful and never share sensitive information on dubious pages or reply with such details to suspicious emails.
| Name | Crypto[.]com Email Scam |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Recipients can protect their NFTs with extra security features |
| Related Domain | defendguard[.]top |
| Detection Names (defendguard[.]top) | Trustwave (Suspicious), URLQuery (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Disguise | Letter from crypto[.]com |
| Symptoms | Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains. |
| Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Similar scam emails in general
Phishing emails typically share common characteristics, such as urgent or enticing subject lines, grammatical errors, and requests for personal information or immediate action. They often impersonate reputable organizations or individuals to deceive recipients into opening deceptive websites and disclosing sensitive information.
In most cases, scammers behind these emails target login credentials, credit card details, ID card information, social security numbers, or other personal information. It is important to note that fraudulent emails can be used to trick users into infecting their computers.
Some examples of phishing emails are "A Team Member Shared An Item", "Department Of Treasury - Compensation Funds", and "Your Statement Reviewed And Paid".
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Emails used by cybercriminals to deliver malware feature malicious links or attachments (files). Their objective is to deceive recipients into running malware on their computer. Clicking on malicious links can lead to websites that automatically initiate malware downloads or persuade users to download and execute malicious files or software.
Cybercriminals may send malicious ZIP and RAR archives, PDF documents, ISO files, JavaScript files, MS Office documents, and executables as attachments to emails. Computers do not necessarily become infected upon opening attached files.
For example, malicious MS Office documents can infect computers when users enable macro commands, while malicious executable files infect devices right upon being opened.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Do not open attachments and links in irrelevant or unexpected emails from unknown addresses. Always examine emails before opening their contents. Download software and files from reliable sources (official websites and app stores). Avoid downloading pirated software, cracking tools, key generators, or similar content, as these often contain malware.
Do not trust pop-ups and ads on shady sites and avoid agreeing to receive notifications from website of this kind. Keep the operating system and software up to date, and regularly scan your computer for unwanted software and potential threats. If you have already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
The appearance of the phishing email (GIF):
Text presented in this scam email:
Subject: Protect Your NFTs With These Extra Security Features
Dear Valued Customer,
You can never be too careful when it comes to safeguarding your NFTs, which is why we’ve given you the tools to easily enhance the security of your account:
2-Factor Authentication
Protect your login information by confirming your identity with a password and verification emailAnti-Phishing Code
Create a personalised code that will appear in all legitimate emails from Crypto.com NFTClick the button below to set up these security features now:
Set Up NowIf you have any questions, kindly reach out to us at contact@crypto.com. We’re here to help.
Best regards,
The Crypto.com Team© Crypto.com NFT 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Crypto.com
128 Beach Road #27-03 Guoco Midtown Office Singapore 189773
You are receiving this message because you've agreed to receive marketing communications from Crypto.com.
If you would like to stop receiving promotional emails from Crypto.com, click here
(you will stop receiving emails about exclusive offers and benefits)
Screenshot of the fake website (defendguard[.]top):
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner
By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.
Quick menu:
- What is Crypto.com scam email?
- Types of malicious emails.
- How to spot a malicious email?
- What to do if you fell for an email scam?
Types of malicious emails:
Phishing Emails
Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.
Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.
After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.
Emails with Malicious Attachments
Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.
In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.
If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.
While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.
Sextortion Emails
This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.
To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.
How to spot a malicious email?
While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:
- Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
- Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
- Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
- Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.
To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
Example of a spam email:
What to do if you fell for an email scam?
- If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
- If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
- If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
- If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
- Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did I receive this email?
Scammers send identical emails to thousands of recipients, aiming for at least one person to fall victim. These scam emails do not include names, surnames, or other personalization.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?
If you have provided your crypto wallet's recovery phrase, change it as soon as possible. If you cannot access your wallet, contact the service provider immediately.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to an email, is my computer infected?
If the file was an executable, then it could potentially infect your system. However, if it was a document (.pdf, .doc, or similar), you might have avoided infection, as simply opening such documents in some cases does not lead to malware infiltration into the system.
I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?
It is safe to open emails (even if they contain malicious files or links).
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?
Yes, Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and removing almost all known threats. However, advanced malware often hides deep within the system. Therefore, conducting a full system scan is required to ensure elimination.
Outstanding!
▼ Show Discussion