PANews reported on January 16 that according to The Block, blockchain security company Scam Sniffer said on the X platform that the number of Telegram malware scams targeting cryptocurrency investors has exceeded traditional phishing attacks. Data shows that from November 2024 to January this year, the number of scams that tricked investors into joining malicious Telegram groups surged by 2,000%, while traditional phishing methods remained at normal levels.

Scam Sniffer pointed out that the new Telegram scams are more sophisticated and are no longer limited to pretending to be cryptocurrency influencers, but target legitimate cryptocurrency project communities on the platform through seemingly safe invitations. Attackers distribute malware through fake verification robots, trading groups, airdrop groups, and "exclusive" insider groups. When users fall into the fake verification process, malicious code is injected into the clipboard, and after execution, malware is downloaded to steal the victim's passwords, cryptocurrency wallets, and browser data.

The company stressed that attackers adopted this tactic because users are more wary of known cryptocurrency scams, and the malware has expanded its reach through Telegram. Scam Sniffer reminds users: "No legitimate cryptocurrency service will ask you to execute commands, install verification software, or run scripts from your clipboard."