- Criminals have used Harry Kane’s image to promote a fraudulent crypto scheme
- Experts warn that scammers are constantly finding new ways to steal money
Scammers are taking advantage of the eventful summer to target unsuspecting victims with fake cryptocurrency promotions.
England captain Harry Kane was the focus of one such crypto scam, cybersecurity firm Kaspersky said, with ‘Captain Harry Kane’ coins being advertised online to attract football fans ahead of and during the Euro 2024 competition.
The scammers used cartoon images of the football player in hopes of passing off the cryptocurrency as an official product.
The ads were also designed using branding similar to that of the official Euro 2024 tournament.
Professional: The advertisement used to advertise the cryptocurrency scam gives the appearance of a legitimate product.
The cryptocurrency announcement was distributed on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Telegram, as well as through targeted emails.
Kaspersky said the scam sees excited investors rush to buy the currency online, causing the price to skyrocket, at which point the scammers sell their holdings and in doing so crash the market in a matter of minutes, leaving them with their pockets full and their victims penniless.
According to the company, this particular cryptocurrency scam is no longer active. It said that scammers have previously used famous names to target fans of figures, especially during major sporting events such as the European Championship.
Olga Svistunova, security expert at Kaspersky, said: ‘These schemes around major events follow a familiar pattern: scammers simply change the lure based on current trends.
‘However, we should not underestimate them, as they constantly adapt and find new ways to profit.
‘For example, our recent discovery of cryptocurrency scams linked to popular actors shows their ability to exploit emerging opportunities.’
Kaspersky said it has also seen fake tickets promoted through a campaign impersonating a popular German energy company, as well as fraudulent online merchandise stores selling discounted goods and fake football streams offering cheap coverage, all of which emerged in the weeks leading up to the tournament.
The scams come after a warning that ticket fraud could cost football fans £243 if they fall victim to a fraudulent seller when trying to buy last-minute tickets.
Be aware of the warning signs
While it’s becoming increasingly difficult to tell scams from legitimate products, there are still a number of signs that indicate the person behind a product might not have your best intentions.
First, make sure the offer isn’t too good to be true.
‘You should look at what they guarantee you as a return.
‘If a cryptocurrency scam promises high guaranteed returns, with little to no risk, it’s likely a scam.
“Genuine investments carry risks and cannot guarantee profits,” said Andrey Sidenko, web analyst at Kaspersky.
‘There will also be a lack of transparency, as scammers often provide little information about their team, technology or business model, while legitimate products are often transparent and have a lot of information available.’
Sidenko added: “Social media is another red flag, as scammers often use fake accounts and testimonials and run aggressive marketing campaigns on platforms like Twitter and Facebook.”
The profiles they use, he said, are clearly not of real people and therefore what they say about a product should not be taken at face value.
‘Scammers will also use complex and confusing language, with technical jargon and words specific to the cryptocurrency world to hide the lack of substance behind the product,’ he added.
