The Bank of Russia has issued a warning about the increasing use of memecoins and tap-to-earn games by scammers. The number of entities exhibiting Ponzi scheme characteristics has surged, highlighting the growing risk in the crypto space.
Points
- Scammers Leveraging Trends: Viral media trends are exploited by scammers.
- Increase in Ponzi Schemes: Significant rise in entities displaying Ponzi scheme characteristics.
- Mixed Schemes: Combination of investment opportunities and asset trading.
- Tap-to-Earn Popularity: Rise in tap-to-earn games across Eurasia.
The Bank of Russia has sounded an alarm regarding the exploitation of memecoins and tap-to-earn games by malicious actors to defraud victims. In the first half of 2024, the central bank identified over 3,490 entities that appeared to operate as Ponzi schemes, a 43% increase from the same period in 2023.
Scammers are capitalizing on viral trends in media to promote their schemes, with more than 14% of illegal projects taking the form of economic games. These scams often lure users with the promise of easy returns through simple actions like tapping the screen repeatedly to earn digital points, which can supposedly be converted into real tokens.
The report also noted an uptick in “mixed” schemes offering both investment opportunities and trading in various assets, including cryptocurrencies and forex pairs. Approximately 59% of suspected Ponzi schemes accepted cryptocurrency contributions, and 36% utilized foreign payment services.
Tap-to-earn games have gained popularity across Eurasia due to their low entry barriers and the appeal of earning rewards with minimal effort. However, these games are increasingly being used as fronts for fraudulent schemes, taking advantage of users’ desire for quick and easy profits.
解説
- Exploitation of Trends: Scammers use the popularity of viral media trends and simple games to attract victims.
- Rise in Ponzi Schemes: The significant increase in entities showing Ponzi scheme characteristics indicates a growing threat in the crypto market.
- Mixed Schemes: Combining investment opportunities with asset trading makes these scams more appealing and complex.
- Tap-to-Earn Games: The simplicity and low entry barriers of these games make them attractive but also vulnerable to misuse by scammers.