Ripple CTO David Schwartz has raised the alarm about a new cryptocurrency scam, demonstrating the growing sophistication of fraudulent activity within the cryptocurrency sphere. Schwartz, the mastermind behind XRP Ledger and Ripple’s current chief technology officer, recently issued a warning regarding a deceptive scheme targeting users of the popular NFT marketplace, OpenSea.
In a social media post, Schwartz revealed an email purporting to be an offer from a potential buyer on OpenSea. Alongside the post, she attached a screenshot showing the fraudulent nature of the email. “This is a scam,” Schwartz emphasized.
It directed users to check the legitimacy of the “Review Offer” link, advising them to hover over it. If the link redirected to a SurveyMonkey URL, it was flagged as a potential scam. It also warned that clicking the link would lead to a fake OpenSea page, but SurveyMonkey had already blocked the malicious site.
WARNING: This is a scam.
The key sign would be that if you hover over the “Review Offer” link, you go to a SurveyMonkey link. If you click on it, you would get a fake OpenSea page but SurveyMonkey has already blocked it. pic.twitter.com/l14USuyQ5s
— David “JoelKatz” Schwartz (@JoelKatz) January 25, 2024
The revelation comes at a time when the cryptocurrency industry is grappling with a surge in scam cases. Cryptocurrency scams continue to evolve in complexity, with perpetrators employing deceptive tactics to target unsuspecting users.
Ripple, given its prominent position in the cryptocurrency industry, is not immune to such fraudulent activities. Schwartz’s warning serves as a reminder of the need for constant vigilance within the crypto community. The sheer audacity of scammers, as demonstrated for example by fake adverts in which Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse promises free XRP, highlights the challenges faced by the crypto space.
