Crypto Scams: Victoria VR and Fake Nickelodeon NFTs

Header

Author: Trend Micro

August 16, 2022

This article is from Trend Micro.

As more and more people get into cryptocurrency and NFT investment, the crypto scams keep on coming. Here’s what we’ve found recently.

Victoria VR

Victoria VR is a metaverse platform, a blockchain-powered MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) that claims to let users play, explore, and communicate within a photorealistic digital world. So far so good.

The problem is scammers know it too, and are trying to dupe its users. Recently, users have been receiving SMS text messages announcing a crypto giveaway by Victoria VR. If a would-be victim follows the attached link, they’ll be in danger of having their personal information compromised or worse. You won’t receive anything from this particular “giveaway” but might give away your own money instead!

Scam webpage

SMS Content:

  • hxxps://giveaway-vr[.]com/?net=bsc

Fake Nickelodeon NFTs

Paramount, the media corporation behind Nickelodeon, recently set up Paramount.xyz, a website dedicated to NFT artworks based on characters from beloved kids’ shows like Rugrats and Hey Arnold!.

Fake websites: nickelodeon.re

nickelodeon.co

Unfortunately, scammers have caught on too, and are selling their own (fake) versions. Don’t fall for them! And be on the lookout for unofficial websites such as the above. You can also purchase direct from OpenSea’s dedicated online shop, here.

Protect Yourself with Trend Micro Check

  • Double-check people’s contact details — and URLs.
  • Reach out to official websites and support pages directly for help if in doubt.
  • NEVER use links or buttons from unknown sources! Use Trend Micro Check to detect scams with ease: Trend Micro Check is an all-in-one browser extension and mobile app for detecting scams, phishing attacks, malware, and dangerous links — and it’s FREE!
http://

After you’ve pinned the Trend Micro Check extension, it will block dangerous sites automatically! (Available on Safari, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge).

http://

You can also download the Trend Micro Check mobile app for 24/7 automatic scam and spam detection and filtering. (Available for Android and iOS).

Check out this page for more information on Trend Micro Check.

Given you’ll be required to enter personal information on these kinds of platforms, ID Security will also ensure you’re never the victim of a data breach.

And as ever, if you’ve found this article an interesting and/or helpful read, please do SHARE it with friends and family to help keep the online community secure and protected.

Source: pexels.com

Report a Scam!

Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!

Help & Info

Popular Stories

As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu

So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking.  If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal If you used PayPal, you have a strong chance of getting your money back if you were scammed. On their website, you can file a dispute within 180 calendar days of your purchase. Conditions to file a dispute: The simplest situation is that you ordered from an online store and it has not arrived. In this case this is what PayPal states: "If your order never shows up and the seller can't provide proof of shipment or delivery, you'll get a full refund. It's that simple." The scammer has sent you a completely different item. For example, you ordered a PlayStation 4, but instead received only a Playstation controller.  The condition of the item was misrepresented on the product page. This could be the