ASIC alerta sobre golpes falsos de negociação de criptomoedas no WhatsApp

O regulador corporativo australiano ASIC emitiu um alerta sobre golpes sofisticados de criptomoedas que operam por meio de aplicativos de mensagens e grupos de investimento online. Os fraudadores usam plataformas falsas de negociação de cripto para atingir investidores via WhatsApp, Telegram e comunidades de redes sociais que se fazem passar por grupos de trading. Os golpes empregam conteúdo gerado por IA e táticas de engenharia social para parecer legítimos, com golpistas se passando por traders bem-sucedidos e especialistas financeiros para construir credibilidade antes de direcionar as vítimas a plataformas fraudulentas.

How Fake Crypto Platforms Operate

According to ASIC, scammers commonly impersonate successful traders, financial experts, or well-known investment figures to build credibility before directing victims to fraudulent crypto platforms. These websites display fabricated trades, customer support features, and fake profit dashboards designed to appear legitimate despite no real trading taking place.

Money deposited into these platforms is transferred directly to scammers rather than invested into genuine assets. Victims attempting to withdraw funds are then asked to pay additional charges, including withdrawal fees, verification costs, or tax payments, before scammers eventually disappear. Some operations allow users to withdraw small amounts initially to create trust and encourage larger deposits later.

AI and Social Engineering in Crypto Fraud

Authorities warned that scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence, cloned branding, fake testimonials, and other sophisticated tools to make scams harder to identify. These tactics make fraudulent operations appear more credible to potential victims.

Crypto Investment Awareness Among Australians

Moneysmart research cited by ASIC found 72% of surveyed Gen Z Australians had seen crypto advertisements on social media, while 41% said they had been approached about crypto investments. The research also found 23% owned crypto assets, with many taking a speculative or short-term trading approach.

Requisitos Regulatórios

A ASIC lembrou aos australianos que empresas cripto que operam serviços de ativos virtuais devem estar registradas na AUSTRAC e cumprir obrigações de combate à lavagem de dinheiro.