"Crypto Scams: Fake Links Target Users on Telegram"

Crypto users are being targeted by a growing number of sophisticated scams, with fraudulent links and fake verification pages being used to trick unsuspecting victims. According to a report by Scam Sniffer, these deceptive links often appear believable, making them prime targets for unwitting users. Scammers are embedding links to fake sites that resemble well-known platforms, such as the Kick platform, and pushing these links through supposedly safe channels like Linktree.

When a user clicks on one of these fraudulent links, they are directed to a page that looks exactly like Cloudflare’s captcha verification system. These pages are intended to mislead users into thinking that they are completing a normal security procedure. In reality, the system is executing malicious code on the user’s device. These tactics are being used in conjunction with social engineering techniques to target crypto enthusiasts, gaining access to user systems without raising any suspicion.

The probe uncovered that the harmful links were being disseminated by the well-known Telegram chat group caronsolanas, which revolves around conversations related to Solana projects. Within this popular group, scammers were using sophisticated, fake Safeguard phishing bots that looked and acted like the real deal. These bots were instructing users to click on malicious links that lead to real scams. The Scammer Safeguard bot actually gave out pretty good advice, but then would add a little doozy at the end: “as a final precaution, be sure NOT to click on any unsolicited links, especially if they appear to be coming from your friends!”

Telegram has long been a popular meeting place for cryptocurrency scammers. What makes this scam particularly insidious is the way the attackers disguised their links, making them appear as though they were sent by BotFather—a Telegram service that helps users create bots—and are legitimate resources within trusted crypto communities. On Telegram, the vetting of content almost totally relies on community members. That makes the presence of phishing bots and bad guys using security tools to find and send borderline fraudulent, but seemingly legitimate, links an appalling development for Telegram and its (not-so-)cryptic communities.

The official Telegram link for Coingecko was found to redirect users to the fraudulent caronsolanas group. This new development raised worries for many, as it was the first time a major, well-established platform was found working in cahoots with the