Watch out: Scammers are creating Google ads to leech off of your search traffic. This scary trick conned some people out of $500,000 in cryptocurrency. In this episode, you’ll also get some tips for snapping the perfect picture of your pets — even if they’re always moving. Plus, Ben’s spilling the beans on his very first five-star review.
Most dangerous thing you can do if you're new to crypto
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Investing in crypto can be exhilarating and scary at the same time. Massive fluctuations in the price of Bitcoin have had many glued to the trading boards. If you invested just $10 in Bitcoin in 2010, that would be worth approximately $10.3 million today.
It’s not always been a smooth ride. Many investors rejoiced when the price for one Bitcoin jumped from $2 to $32 in 2011. But in October of that year, many traders lost most of their value when the price came crashing down, wiping out 99% of the value to just one penny.
To say that cryptocurrency trading is volatile is an understatement. If you are new to it, there are some dangerous practices you must steer clear of. Keep reading for ways to protect your money.
Here’s the backstory
When you first get into cryptocurrencies, you’ll need to set up a digital wallet. It works like a real-world wallet, and it’s the central space where you keep all your money. To access your wallet, you must create a passphrase or password.
This is the only way to secure your account and is as valuable as your bank card PIN. If you lose it, there is a real possibility that you’ll never get it back. So, if hackers get a hold of your password through a scam, you’re in jeopardy.
Now hackers are using a different tactic to steal crypto details. They have started employing phishing attacks through Google Ads.
How this crypto scam works
Check Point Research (CPR) investigated the theft of over $500,000 worth of cryptocurrency in a matter of days. All results pointed to hackers using Google Ads in search results to lure inexperienced traders into divulging their passwords.
Criminals buy advertising for digital wallets that impersonate trusted providers like Phantom App, MetaMask and Pancake Swap. Once a potential victim clicks on the link in the Google ad, it takes them to a phishing page that has been set up to seem like the real deal.
“From here, the scammers tricked their victims into giving up their wallet passwords, setting the stage for wallet theft. In what appears to be a new trend, multiple scamming groups are now bidding for wallet-related keywords on Google Ads, using Google Search as an attack vector to target victims’ crypto wallets,” CPR explained in a blog post.
Over one weekend, CPR found 11 digital wallets had been compromised, with each of them containing crypto between $1,000 and $10,000.
What the Biden presidency could mean for the tech world
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For quite a while, U.S. lawmakers have questioned whether Big Tech companies are too involved (or not enough) in curbing misinformation. Others have accused the big four: Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook, of antitrust behavior. This has led to several ongoing court cases brought on by federal and state law enforcement.
Watch out for this Google ad scam — and try this trick for better pet photos
Google ad scam, take better pet photos, Ben's first 5-star review
Scammers have a clever new tactic that really works. They’re creating Google ads to piggyback off search traffic; one scheme cost people over $500,000 in cryptocurrency in one weekend. Plus, tips for taking better pictures of your furry friends, and Ben gives his first five-Ben head review. Listen to find out what merited the honor.
Tech Refresh: Google ad scam, take better pet photos, Ben's first 5-star review
Scammers have a clever new tactic that really works. They’re creating Google ads to piggyback off search traffic; one scheme cost people over $500,000 in cryptocurrency in one weekend. Plus, tips for taking better pictures of your furry friends, and Ben gives his first five-Ben head review. Listen to find out what merited the honor.