Cryptocurrency scams are getting more and more sophisticated, but the latest in order of time is truly incredible.
Canadian Lotto winner Scott Gurney said that people have asked users of some social media, especially Facebook, to donate bitcoins using his name, but they are actually scammers.
Gurney, who won $55 million, confirmed that an individual told him that he had lost $300 in bitcoin because of a scammer posing as the lottery winner.
To lure victims, the scammers would use fake Facebook accounts in which Gurney is shown with the check in his hand. According to the Times Colonist, one person lost bitcoin worth $450 after contacting one of the fake accounts.
Beware of crypto scammers
However, Gurney advised to be wary of offers that are too good to be true. He added:
I am sorry that people have been unlucky but they should not hand out cash so easily.
The report also revealed that some of the fake Facebook accounts went so far as to discredit other accounts in order to carry out the scam. However, to counter the scammers' tactics, Gurney, who is among other things a financial advisor, stated that he will stop accepting or sending friend requests on Facebook.
Meanwhile, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, which handed over the $55 million check to Gurney, issued a statement warning players to be wary of messages asking them to disclose private information.
"Anyone who receives any type of unsolicited message should be cautious and not disclose personal information or make cash payments",
He declared the Canadian Crown Corporation. The lottery company also invited recipients to report unsolicited messages to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
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14 april 2023 17:34 CEST