Beware: Fake Binance desktop app

[NotATether]

What may shock many of us is that fake app makers are successful in trapping victims even though their method may seem primitive and no one would believe it. Launching a fake app in parallel with an advertising campaign can achieve good results for hackers. Here we can address Binance’s responsibility to contribute to achieving a large part of the security of its users by being aware of these fake apps or malicious links to publish warnings about them on its channels and alerting users. This may seem pointless, but it certainly has a direct impact and can contribute to reducing the damage that these attempts may cause.

These fake app makers usually buy a scam/phishing template from someone and then deploy it for themselves. They are not really app makers but they just re-distribute other people's malware. Particularly the kind that lets you steal other people's coins and send it to a server that another person controls, before sending it back out to you with a small comission attached.

[Yaunfitda]

Thanks for this, I have just scrolled on my facebook and I thought I could have seen this kind of ads? Not sure, but I have to go back and check, but what caught my attention is that it's very similar interface that is showing in my feed.

Yeah, I heard that Binance is ban from the Philippines but there are still Filipinos that I known of who are trying to access with VPN.

Anyhow, thanks for this warning and hopefully no one will fall for this trick.

And just like I said, I have seen this kind of ads in my Facebook and here is it,



So most likely the same groups are behind all of this. And when you thought that Meta says that they don't allow scam sites on their platform, this is one example that they are not doing their jobs.

[Stablexcoin]

What may shock many of us is that fake app makers are successful in trapping victims even though their method may seem primitive and no one would believe it. Launching a fake app in parallel with an advertising campaign can achieve good results for hackers. Here we can address Binance’s responsibility to contribute to achieving a large part of the security of its users by being aware of these fake apps or malicious links to publish warnings about them on its channels and alerting users. This may seem pointless, but it certainly has a direct impact and can contribute to reducing the damage that these attempts may cause.

These fake app makers usually buy a scam/phishing template from someone and then deploy it for themselves. They are not really app makers but they just re-distribute other people's malware. Particularly the kind that lets you steal other people's coins and send it to a server that another person controls, before sending it back out to you with a small comission attached.

Yeah, I think that's what they did. It's simple if they use a template and edit themselves using the Binacne official color and logo from the internet. So, people could go deeper into having a false site when they are aware that many people know about the main site. Everything they do is more focused on the blackened. Perhaps they have an admin panel that controls how hey receive and distribute the assets to theirindivdual selves.

[taufik123]

-snip-
So most likely the same groups are behind all of this. And when you thought that Meta says that they don't allow scam sites on their platform, this is one example that they are not doing their jobs.

Phishing links like this will always get away, especially if he pays to advertise on Meta.
Somehow, Meta did a filter so that such a malicious link could get through.

I found a lot of similar links that will automatically download .APK extension apps and for unauthorized desktops.
Ordinary people will be trapped with trap links like this and of course need to do a report to flag that the paid sponsor is a scammer.

Not only on FB or Meta, but in some video providers that are quite crowded with users such as TikTok or YouTube broadcast ads managed by scammers, and it gets away quite easily.

[Husna QA]

-snip-
So most likely the same groups are behind all of this. And when you thought that Meta says that they don't allow scam sites on their platform, this is one example that they are not doing their jobs.

Phishing links like this will always get away, especially if he pays to advertise on Meta.
Somehow, Meta did a filter so that such a malicious link could get through.
-snip-

Phishing sites that create domain names that are similar to the original site are common. For example, Electrum has also been targeted in the past.

The community's role is to alert each other to the dangers of phishing links like this. Even if media like Meta still display phishing ads, they can be reported or flagged to prevent other users, especially newbies, from falling for them.

Regarding https://binance-desktop.com/en/downloads, it clearly has nothing to do with the real Binance.

-snip-

https://www.binance.com/en/official-verification

[Kemarit]

Damn, I see this ads on Facebook again and I did try to report that this is fake and that they shouldn't allow this to be in their platform.

So just like what @ NotATether, the template is very similar so it could have come from one sources and then deploy by different cyber criminals to trap people.

Again, it might be very similar to Binance app as far as UI goes, but obviously, it is fake and a scam trick. And thanks to this community, we really have a lot of members that are giving us this clear warnings.

[Shishir99]

Damn, I see this ads on Facebook again and I did try to report that this is fake and that they shouldn't allow this to be in their platform.

It seems a lot of people already seeing this ad. Probably the same ad is running from multiple facebook accounts. I am not sure if all the URLs are the same. If all of those URLs and the ads are the same, it is the same group who have been spreading this in social media. I am afraid to think how many people have already fallen for this trap. People who are in crypto but not experts are going to be victims of this trap.

There are several blackhat forums where some blackhat developers sell those scripts online just for a few hundred dollars. Don't ask me for the sources because I guess it's well-known already and I don't want to spread them further.

[btc78]

This is why I only saved those legit exchange that I am using for future purposes so I will never be a victim of those fake apps .
thanks for sharing this here OP the community needs this kind of help because we knew how hard to find help from outside the forum .

and also  i have seen this ads somewhere in social media not sure if Facebook or Instagram but like what I said ,I have saved the sites I am regularly using so I am safe from this victimizing .

[armanda90]

Thanks for your more useful information because I found this promotion on my Facebook social account, although I am not interested with Binance desktop feature because my usually access to Binance account trough website or Playstore application but your information helped many people keep aware from fake or cheater website.
Right now the scammer have been smart and upgrade their trick how to scam many people, usually they are using free promotion site to make many people got scam but today based on OP information have used sponsored or paid advertising on social media platform exactly with Facebook.
BE aware for all user if see this kinds on paid promotion not download link and always use Binance website as reference for downloading Binance with desktop version or using application version.

[taufik123]

-snip-
The community's role is to alert each other to the dangers of phishing links like this. Even if media like Meta still display phishing ads, they can be reported or flagged to prevent other users, especially newbies, from falling for them.

It is hoped that the public should indeed be concerned about some traps like this, but some people sometimes do not know,
and they only follow the instructions given by the advertisement because there is a big bonus offered.

There are more victims of phishing link scams through Facebook, or they send directly to private messages.

Damn, I see this ads on Facebook again and I did try to report that this is fake and that they shouldn't allow this to be in their platform.
-snip-

Unfortunately, it is allowed freely because they pay. There should be a filter from Facebook before the ad goes live,
if Facebook alone can't filter it will just be the perfect trap for beginners.

[Abu-Naim]

This is why I only saved those legit exchange that I am using for future purposes so I will never be a victim of those fake apps .
thanks for sharing this here OP the community needs this kind of help because we knew how hard to find help from outside the forum .

and also  i have seen this ads somewhere in social media not sure if Facebook or Instagram but like what I said ,I have saved the sites I am regularly using so I am safe from this victimizing .

Scammers can go to any length just to scam you of your money, they are trying to use anything that is available and unnoticed to try their luck, and such scams is mostly happening to newbies and some careless users who are so lazy to go to the official website of any wallet or exchanges they are downloading.

Newbies need to be very careful because such clone links looks similar to the original link, they just change somethings, and they copy same design as the original website so as not to look suspicious. I know it's hard to detect all but try as much as you can to always pay attention especially if it pertains money and wallets because it is very important because once they are able to get your details, all your money will be stolen.

[Prestongold]

So this is fake desktop app, really hacker's and scammers have gone far to this extent is quite amazing, because from the look of this and the app domain name, nothing change at all from the original binance name and this can become a big challenge for the cryptocurrency exchange anytime they may want to lunch their desktop app in the future.

Unless if their act to bring this fake desktop version down before launching the original, any ways thank you for bringing this here.

[Sonia_123]

Binance founder Changpeng 'CZ' warns against AI deepfakes promoting unknown coins on social media.
Ripple CEO faces similar AI scams; Ripple issues alerts to protect users.
Binance's CZ to speak at Blockchain Week after U.S. legal battle.

https://coingape.com/binance-founder-changpeng-cz-zhao-issues-major-ai-warning-to-community/

[joniboini]

-snip-

I think AI deepfakes are quite different from fake apps. You should probably post it on another thread, or make a new one if one hasn't existed yet. I'm pretty sure people posted about deepfake scams multiple times already considering how common it is nowadays. You can scroll YouTube and find one channel livestreaming Musk promoting some random meme tokens for example. It's an old tactic that unfortunately still works. CMIIW.

[TastyChillySauce00]

Some people will not listen. It is as simple as download the Binance app from the official website. All exchanges also works like that. If you access the exchanges on the web, you will see where you can download their apps when you are about to login. All these are easy to avoid but some people are just novice.

Some people aren't well versed with technology, some even don't understand differences between domain which usually used by scammer to trick people.
so it's understandable that some people might fall victim.
I personally think using mobile app that we can get from play store or app store to be more assuring, as there's extensive review toward the app available in that market.
even nowadays I don't really trust any ads or clicking any ads available in site like google, I've seen some scam site advertising and trying to impersonate as a legitimate website.

I think for newbie, always be sure to recheck the domain, using adblocker and protection from antivirus software (the reliable ones) might help since sometime they also offer protection to filter scam site.

[Publictalk792]

Some people aren't well versed with technology, some even don't understand differences between domain which usually used by scammer to trick people.
so it's understandable that some people might fall victim.
I personally think using mobile app that we can get from play store or app store to be more assuring, as there's extensive review toward the app available in that market.
even nowadays I don't really trust any ads or clicking any ads available in site like google, I've seen some scam site advertising and trying to impersonate as a legitimate website.

I think for newbie, always be sure to recheck the domain, using adblocker and protection from antivirus software (the reliable ones) might help since sometime they also offer protection to filter scam site.

Yes that is right many people have trouble understanding technology making it easy for scammers to trick them. To be safe we should use apps from trusted places like Play Store or App Store. They check apps carefully. And we should be careful with online ads even on Google as scammers can pretend to be real websites. If anyone new to internet so he/she should check website addresses carefully and use ad blockers and also install good antivirus software. Staying alert and informed helps keep them safe online.

[RockBell]

Social media is the worst place to get or download anything related to cryptocurrency, there are so many scam ads on facebook, YouTube and the others. I wonder if the people who fall for these scams are new to crypto and they don't have any involvement prior to clicking such links, i say so because if you are in the crypto industry, you should know where to get legitimate information and also know where you should and should not download things from.

To many ads in most of this social media apps and also games the moment you are connected to the internet you start seen ads for you to actually download apps which they know that many of this apps are actually not correct and they are scams I don't know the reason why does ads are accepted when they can not even distinguish between wether they can be trusted or not, they try to make everyone believe that those apps are legit and can be trusted which is a lie.

Is not that they are new some is just that they are ignorant if not you know exactly were to download the actual app why not just go their directly to download instead of trusting ads the only single thing have downloaded from those ads is not more than a game and I know it was the actual thing but when it comes to anything crypto I go directly to were I will download.

It is even very risky to be clicking every single link you see so that you don't get hacked because a lot of stories have been heard thay people are hacked because of the link they clicked caution needs to be taken serious with both ads and links.

[tabas]

So this is fake desktop app, really hacker's and scammers have gone far to this extent is quite amazing, because from the look of this and the app domain name, nothing change at all from the original binance name and this can become a big challenge for the cryptocurrency exchange anytime they may want to lunch their desktop app in the future.

Unless if their act to bring this fake desktop version down before launching the original, any ways thank you for bringing this here.

They've been doing it for quite a while and don't just focus that it's from Binance because they could copy other exchanges and wallets too for their own benefit. So, always make sure to download from verified sources for every app that you'd download whether they're from crypto, financial app or those apps that contains vital information and data of ours.

Binance founder Changpeng 'CZ' warns against AI deepfakes promoting unknown coins on social media.
Ripple CEO faces similar AI scams; Ripple issues alerts to protect users.
Binance's CZ to speak at Blockchain Week after U.S. legal battle.

https://coingape.com/binance-founder-changpeng-cz-zhao-issues-major-ai-warning-to-community/

Thanks for bringing this up, I think that there was one already made for this topic. So, scammers are everywhere, and with the emergence of AI, they're going that far from making videos with the face of the known ones like CZ and other influencers in the community. Like they can make videos of CZ endorsing this fake app or anyone that has a wide reach of audiences could fool people with these deepfake videos promoting fake apps too.

[BitMaxz]

To many ads in most of this social media apps and also games the moment you are connected to the internet you start seen ads for you to actually download apps which they know that many of this apps are actually not correct and they are scams I don't know the reason why does ads are accepted when they can not even distinguish between wether they can be trusted or not, they try to make everyone believe that those apps are legit and can be trusted which is a lie.

That's the laziness of ads staffs on any social media platform they only take action if someone reported it, even google ads and other ads providers. Most of these abusers and scammer can still able to manipulate ads to make it look legit.
So I hope that people should be smarter than the scammer before they trust a business or a site they should always check it first to see if that is the right website or not and ask more people if s/he is accessing the right site before giving sensitive information or deposit on that platform.

[MusaMohamed]

That's the laziness of ads staffs on any social media platform they only take action if someone reported it, even google ads and other ads providers. Most of these abusers and scammer can still able to manipulate ads to make it look legit.
So I hope that people should be smarter than the scammer before they trust a business or a site they should always check it first to see if that is the right website or not and ask more people if s/he is accessing the right site before giving sensitive information or deposit on that platform.

Scammers won't stop their scam attempts because it's their only or main job so majority of scammers will continue doing their scam jobs.

Scammers set up their scam traps as honeypots that come along with some kind of attractive profit, bonuses, opportunities to get rich. Fortunately, people can avoid most of honeypot scam traps by being careful practically and avoid things that easily to realize as "too good to be true".

If they always remember a famous saying "There is no free lunch" and combine it with "avoid things are too good to be true", they will self-defend against like 90% of 99% of honeypot scam traps.