Despite network outages, Solana has witnessed a flurry of projects launched on top of its blockchain. Such a trend typically depicts a growing demand. But the latest report paints a different picture.
These fraudsters were found to be capitalizing on users’ heightened risk appetite, fueled by FOMO amidst a market-wide resurgence.
- In a report shared with CryptoPotato, blockchain security company Blockaid revealed that 50% of recent pre-sale token launches on Solana have been malicious. The strategies employed by fraudsters within the popular Layer 1 ecosystem closely resemble those observed in other cryptocurrency platforms.
- This includes leveraging social engineering platforms such as Telegram, Twitter, and Discord to trick users into engaging with malicious addresses or websites.
- The ongoing meme coin frenzy as well as the potential for quick profits amidst market volatility further exacerbated the vulnerability of inexperienced and novice users to these scams.
“Scammers capitalize on the excitement surrounding meme coins to lure investors, exploiting fear of missing out (FOMO) and the promise of lucrative returns.”
- Presale Token Scams. Source: Blockaid
- Firstly, in February and March of this year, Blockaid’s threat intelligence team observed a significant surge in the uptake of pre-sale tokens, which quickly increased from a few tens to hundreds of purchases.
- This surge was largely driven by the exponential growth of legitimate meme coins.
- The team also claimed that Solana’s ecosystem may lack adequate security measures, essentially leaving it vulnerable to exploitation by scammers.
- In fact, the security firm’s data indicates that even popular projects have been targeted by these groups, highlighting the continued threat posed by pre-sale scams within the cryptocurrency industry.
