Scammers take advantage of the Nvidia anniversary to steal Bitcoin
Cybercriminals usually choose brands that are very reliable.
Nvidia was first hit by a cyber attack in February, and now fraudsters are using the company’s upcoming 30th anniversary as part of a bitcoin scheme.
It is according to Kaspersky, who revealed the scheme in a blog. Nvidia is developing GPUs that are popular with crypto enthusiasts.
Nvidia turns 30 next year, and it is common practice for companies to celebrate anniversaries with round numbers. Scammers exploited this by arranging fake cryptocurrency giveaways.
Fake website that promises Bitcoin Giveaway
Nvidia bitcoin scams involve a fake website set up to mark the occasion with a 50,000 bitcoin gift. The scammers ask participants to make a donation to enter. They are told that they can double the donation or even hit the 50,000 bitcoins jackpot. A crypto wallet allows users to send their donation.
The site encourages potential victims to donate before participating in the giveaway, and includes a photo of Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO.
The page contains a “Delta” button which, when clicked, takes the visitor to a page with detailed information about the giveaway. However, the site contains many spelling errors, and incorrectly uses a purple Nvidia logo instead of the official green.
Kaspersky researchers checked scammers’ wallets on blockchain.com. However, the total account balance is far less than the 50,000 bitcoins announced. It is unclear whether that balance has been formed by donations. However, the account history shows several transactions from unknown senders.
We could not reach Nvidia to comment on the scheme.
If a victim does not understand that a brand has been imitated, it can affect victims’ perception of the brand, according to Kaspersky. Cybercriminals usually choose highly trusted brands. This is because users trust them and their reputation gives users more trust.
Kaspersky researchers do not know who is behind the bitcoin scheme.
Bitcoin schemes usually succeed
Unfortunately, such schemes often prove to be successful. Scammers can earn easily with minimal investment, especially if this profit comes on behalf of a trusted brand.
Olga Svistunova is a security expert at Kaspersky.
Kaspersky’s Olga Svistiunova
“Crypto-scams involving celebrity photos, or power brands, have become trendy these days,” she said. “We have witnessed campaigns with Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Pavel Durov. This time, the attackers went ahead, started fraudulent activity on behalf of Nvidia’s CEO and linked it to a very special occasion for the company. Our primary advice is to carefully check all the links you follow while surfing the web, and avoid donating to unreliable initiatives. “
In February, Nvidia reportedly experienced a cyber attack by the Lapsus $ ransomware gang that compromised the company’s internal systems.
