Crypto Scam Exploits Discord Bots, Steals From 30,000 Wallets - 1

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Crypto Scam Exploits Discord Bots, Steals From 30,000 Wallets

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

A Discord-based phishing operation called Inferno Drainer has stolen $9 million from over 30,000 crypto wallets using fake bots and smart contracts.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Inferno Drainer stole $9M in six months via Discord phishing scams.
  • Over 30,000 crypto wallets have been compromised since late 2023.
  • Victims unknowingly sign malicious transactions draining their funds instantly.

A highly organized cybercrime group known as Inferno Drainer has stolen over $9 million from more than 30,000 crypto wallets in just six months, according to new findings from Check Point Research .

The group, which publicly claimed to shut down operations in late 2023, appears to remain active—employing advanced evasion techniques to continue draining digital assets undetected.

Inferno Drainer targets victims through Discord phishing campaigns, primarily by impersonating Collab.Land, a widely used verification bot in crypto communities.

Users are tricked into connecting their crypto wallets to fake websites that mimic legitimate platforms. Once connected, victims unknowingly authorize malicious transactions that instantly transfer their funds to attacker-controlled wallets.

The operation’s sophistication lies in its layered evasion strategy. Inferno Drainer deploys single-use smart contracts to bypass blacklist detection, encrypts command-and-control infrastructure within blockchain data to obscure server details, and rapidly cycles through new domains to avoid takedown efforts.

Among the most devastating breaches, some victims lost over $1 million in a single transaction. Despite announcing their closure months ago, the group’s infrastructure remains operational, raising concerns over continued or copycat attacks.

Cybersecurity experts urge crypto users to verify all URLs before connecting wallets, avoid interacting with unverified Discord bots, and consider using “burner” wallets with limited funds when engaging in airdrops or new DeFi projects.

Google Rolls Out AI Tools to Protect Users from Scammers - 2

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Google Rolls Out AI Tools to Protect Users from Scammers

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Google announced new AI tools to stop scams and protect users on Thursday. The tech giant released a report detailing improvements to its security tools and the implementation of new strategies that leverage large language models (LLMs) and generative AI.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Google is using AI-powered tools to protect Search, Chrome, and Android users against scammers.
  • The tech giant released a new report with more details on the effectiveness of the new security strategies.
  • Gemini Nano is adding security layers on Chrome, and a new AI-powered feature offers extra protection on Chrome and Android for notifications.

According to the announcement , Google is using advanced techniques to enhance safety and detect scammers across its main platforms and products.

“Today, we’re releasing a new report on how we fight scams in Search, and sharing the new ways we’re using AI to keep you safe across Search, Chrome, and Android,” wrote Jasika Bawa, Group Product Manager focusing on Chrome security, and Phiroze Parakh, Senior Director of Engineering for Google Search.

Google has implemented new AI-powered tools and has managed to improve its detection of scammy pages in Search by a factor of 20, as well as detect fake phone numbers. One example the company highlights involves scammers impersonating airline customer service to trick Google Search users into calling them. “We’ve already reduced these scams by more than 80% in Search, greatly reducing the risk that you call a scammy phone number,” the announcement states.

A few weeks ago, Google filed a lawsuit against scammers for creating over 10,000 fake businesses on Google Maps. The company also warned about malicious actors’ strategies—such as adding fake business numbers—and has taken action to combat them.

For Chrome, Google has been using Gemini Nano to add additional layers of protection against online scams on desktop. The AI tool alerts users about risky websites, enabling Google to offer better protection against potential scams, including newly emerging threats. The company plans to expand Gemini Nano’s security capabilities to Android.

Android users can also benefit from a new AI feature, Scam Detection, in Google Messages and Phone, which helps protect against scam calls and text messages.