Blockchain security firm Scam Sniffer has revealed a risk that every internet user who wants to access Soneium’s official website or blockchain could fall victim to—a sponsored Google advertisement designed to resemble Soneium’s website. Still, it is a phishing website that can drain users’ funds.
⚠️ Searched for Soneium on Google, clicked a phishing ad.
After connecting your wallet and signing a phishing signature, your assets disappeared… 😱💸 pic.twitter.com/5Hpi9OTZ4S— Scam Sniffer | Web3 Anti-Scam (@realScamSniffer) October 22, 2024
Soneium is a layer-2 blockchain built on the Ethereum network. A team of developers develops the L2 blockchain under the electronics giant Sony.
Soneium Not Someium
According to Scam Sniffer’s Tuesday morning post on X, a simple typographical error when accessing the Soneium site can result in a loss of funds.
“Searched for Soneium on Google, clicked a phishing ad. After connecting your wallet and signing a phishing signature, your assets disappeared,” the firm said.
The Sniffer team noticed that a Google search for “Someium” – a misspelled form of “Soneium”—led to a phishing website posing as the authentic Sony-developed blockchain. The phishing link redirects users to an incomplete web project of another company and contains a hidden wallet drainer.
Additionally, Scam Sniffer noted that the link was designed only to affect specific users. This meant it took any other random user to the official website while redirecting users who met the scammers’ target to the phishing site. Thus, it is difficult for Google to notice the error before approving and pushing the ad to the public.
Highlighting the importance of paying attention and surfing the internet safely, the security firm warned, “Phishing always happens when you’re not paying attention, even if you mistakenly spell ‘soneium’ as ‘someium.’”
Crypto Scams Skyrocket
Despite crypto and blockchain firms’ efforts to ensure investor funds’ safety, scammers have devised various means to devour users’ funds, primarily through phishing sites.
In a recent court case, an Indian crypto scammer, Chirag Tomer, stole over $20 million from different users through phishing. He developed a fake Coinbase website with a deceptive URL and user interface that looked like the original site. Following different court sittings, he has been sentenced to five years in prison and two years of supervised release.
Meanwhile, according to the Australian financial watchdog ASIC, the ex-CEO of the collapsed crypto exchange Mine Digital has been brought before the court for scamming one user out of over $1.4 million and spending the funds on personal expenses.
