Scam Alert on Bitcointalk - old topics being edited w/ scam links, e.g. Swapzone

[goldkingcoiner]

I have noticed in recent times that many old Bitcointalk topics in various boards are being edited und bumped with links that are meant to scam Bitcointalk users out of their money. And not just by one account. There have been a multitude of old accounts, even Sr+ accounts (maybe hacked or bought?) which have been recently re-awakened in order to execute this scam.

The original posted topics of these accounts may have been legitimate in the past, which is why you will find posts from normal users under them, but the opening post has been edited and replaced with phishing links or other malicious instructions meant to install malware on your device.

Here is one such example:

Most of the scam attempts contain the same text. With an "exploit guide" as the leading motivation. Of course there is no exploit, only a scam and malware.

DO NOT VISIT THE LINKS PROVIDED IN THE IMAGE ABOVE OR ANY OTHER SIMILARLY EDITED TOPIC!

[Hazink]

This user you caught is not the first person; such a pattern was first reported here https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5557372.msg65748902#msg65748902, where an old account belonging to a casino was used to edit the ANN of the thread, and that malicious link was added.

Just like I also reported one of them here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5557479.msg65753100#msg65753100, which he was creating new threads, the content of which all led to clicking on that link found on your shared image above, and many other newly woken-up and hacked accounts doing the same thing.

[albon]

It is good that the account you mentioned in the example has been banned and also that most of the accounts which promoted content like the one shown in the attached image have had their posts deleted.

Every member should avoid trusting low-rank accounts that have edited old topics, as well as accounts that suddenly became active again after a long period of inactivity.. It is also necessary to verify the popularity and the reputation of of the topic starter in the forum, since the account could be stolen or hacked, and not used by the original owner.

Every member should not follow the so-called “exploit guide, because the scam lies entirely within it as they delude users into believing that there is a vulnerability within one of the exchange platforms that can be exploited, which may tempt some members to try it and click on the malicious links they have placed, ultimately falling into the scam.

[Trêvoid]

good catch OP, members should avoid trusting low-rank or suddenly active accounts, always verify topic reputation...

[baneveryone]

Great research and discovery! However, this isn't an isolated incident. Many scammers and psychopaths engage in similar behavior, and I'm talking about it at https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5558525.msg65785649#msg65785649.

[ABCbits]

People or group behind this changenow and other kind of "exploit" is really persistant. They have tried many stuff such as creating many new account to obtaining high ranked account. I also see they create thread while locking it afterwards and not locking the thread while leaving false reply that the "exploit" works.

[Hazink]

good catch OP, members should avoid trusting low-rank or suddenly active accounts, always verify topic reputation...

Even if the OP is an old member who has built a reputation, there are some kinds of threads that will appear posted by them. We still need to be careful with it, as accounts can be hacked with any little mistake. It doesn’t need to be a woke-up account; it’s rare for such to occur, but we just need to be careful overall and not just to be security conscious about a particular type of account.