Welcome back to the Scam Logs, where we help you navigate the world of crypto and NFTs safer.
Today we’ll be looking at a scam that’s so simple and yet is becoming a bigger issue as the NFT market explodes in popularity: scams on Discord.
For those unaware, Discord is software similar to Zoom or Skype, but with a more communal feel. You can make groups where people can voice chat or text each other. These group’s leaders can have various admin functions. It’s an incredible piece of software.
Discord’s features also make it a great way for NFT and crypto creators, project leaders, and backers, among many others, to discuss and plan.
The issue, then, is that scammers can force their way into these places. Or scammers can set up groups like anyone else. Major platforms attract these kinds of people because it gives them targeted access to those already interested in crypto.
Once they’ve gotten in, the scam is as easy as it would be anywhere else. They can pose as an admin, or someone else trustworthy, and send malicious links. They can pretend to be minting new NFTs or offering special deals. Any type of scam that’s done just through words and links can happen this way.
The two solutions for this are pretty simple. One is diligence. Don’t click on links from anyone in the chat. If you need to know something, at the very least go straight to the official website of the project. Clicking without knowing for sure where the link goes is very dangerous, and disguising links is very easy.
The second option is more drastic but can be necessary if scammers are aggressive. Turn off DMs. Discord has a setting that lets you do this easily. Scammers can’t privately message you if you can’t receive messages. Even something as innocent as asking for help can attract the vultures. It may feel rude but being scammed is far nastier than not talking to someone.
All scams are awful, but scams that rely on exploiting a sense of community or friendship are heinous. Protect yourself from them, report it to Discord when you see it, and be ever vigilant. Where money is moving, scammers will come. And The Scam Logs will cover more and more of their methods.
