According to Cointelegraph: In an unfortunate Christmas event, scammers have managed to fleece cryptocurrency users out of $3 million in a single day. They successfully manipulated Google Ads to lure victims into accessing fraudulent Web3 sites loaded with wallet draining software, namely MS Drainer.
Crypto-based news outlet, Cointelegraph, reported earlier on Dec. 21 that scammers used MS Drainer to steal an impressive $59 million worth of cryptocurrency throughout 2023. Scam Sniffer, a website dedicated to uncovering virtual deception, revealed that counterfeit versions of prominent Web3 sites caused the security breaches.
A surge of phishing incidents linked to the same address used by the scammers was flagged by Scam Sniffer on Dec. 25. The stolen amount included a mix of various cryptocurrencies, including WBTC, aPolUSDT, aUSDC, and USDT.
Scam Sniffer urged users to be cautious when authorizing Web3 wallet transactions, as phishing scams pose a significant risk. They advised users to thoroughly verify all signature requests to prevent falling victim to such schemes.
According to a recent report, Scam Sniffer discovered over 10,000 sites employing MS Drainer during 2023. A Dune Analytics dashboard was set up to provide insight into the devastating impact, indicating that more than 63,000 victims lost nearly $58.98 million due to this malicious software.