Fake TradingView videos target victims' crypto wallets, authorities warn
The authentic channel (left) can be distinguished from the fake version (right) by the absence of spacing in its name. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE, CYBER SECURITY AGENCY OF SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE - Several victims here had their cryptocurrency wallets compromised after falling prey to a fake TradingView YouTube channel which prompted users to download and execute malicious scripts, the authorities said.
TradingView is a legitimate online platform used to chart and analyse financial markets, including stocks, forex and cryptocurrencies. It is downloadable as a desktop and mobile app.
The police and Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) said in a joint statement on May 2 that the victims came across videos on the fake YouTube channel with instructions to install the purported official TradingView app .
They were directed to download and execute Windows PowerShell scripts that were actually malicious code.
Upon running the command, the victims unwittingly installed a Remote Access Trojan onto their devices.
The malware allowed scammers access to the victims' devices, compromising their crypto wallets.
Members of the public are advised to avoid executing unfamiliar commands from unknown sources, said the police and CSA.
People who suspect they have fallen victim to cryptocurrency-related crimes should promptly contact their exchange to halt transactions or freeze their account.
If a crypto wallet has been compromised, they should transfer all remaining cryptocurrencies in the compromised wallet to another wallet immediately.
Victims were directed to download and execute Windows PowerShell scripts that were actually malicious code.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE, CYBER SECURITY AGENCY OF SINGAPORE
Victims may report the incident to the police, or through the incident reporting form accessible at https://www.csa.gov.sg/singcert/reporting.
Fraudulent cryptocurrency phishing websites may be reported to CSA's SingCERT at singcert@csa.gov.sg.
Those who suspect they have been targeted in the fake TradingView scam may alert the company at security@tradingview.com and support@tradingview.com.
For more information on scams, visit www.scamshield.gov.sg.
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