Crypto Scammers Hack LEGO to Push Fake Digital Coin

Crypto scammers hacked the LEGO website Friday night to push a fake digital coin, duping unsuspecting enthusiasts into purchasing hot air.

The hackers somehow managed to breach the toy maker’s servers and replaced LEGO’s home page adverts showing tokens branded with a golden LEGO logo.

“Our new LEGO Coin is officially out! Buy the new LEGO Coin today and unlock secret rewards!” the scam read, as depicted in a screenshot captured by an eagle-eyed Redditor.

Credit: mescad via Reddit

The ‘Buy Now’ button managed to con only a handful of unsuspecting buyers, BleepingComputer reports, with damages calculated in the low hundreds of dollars. The attackers failed to capitalize on a breach that could have otherwise netted them more using wallet-draining techniques.

When asked by the cyber news site, LEGO spokespeople confirmed the breach, stating that, “On 5 October 2024, an unauthorised banner briefly appeared on LEGO.com. It was quickly removed, and the issue has been resolved.”

The toy company is short on details about the hack and maintains that “No user accounts have been compromised, and customers can continue shopping as usual.”

“The cause has been identified and we are implementing measures to prevent this from happening again,” LEGO’s PR people added.

Crypto scams on the rise

Scammers recently took advantage of the hype surrounding Apple’s iPhone 16 launch event to flood YouTube with phony livestream videos featuring a deep-faked Tim Cook asking viewers to deposit crypto into a wallet promising double-returns.

Experts say AI-driven fraud is inflicting serious financial damage, with global losses estimated at $79.1 billion since 2022. Deepfake-related fraud could inflict $10 billion per quarter by 2025, according to some estimates.

According to the Bitdefender 2024 Consumer Cybersecurity Assessment Report, netizens' biggest cybercrime worry is having their money stolen. Yet people generally avoid even the easy steps that could keep fraudsters at bay.

How to spot a crypto scam

Consider using Scamio if you're suspicious of any situation. Scamio is a fast and efficient way to find out if you’re being conned.

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Bitdefender recently published two straightforward guides on how to exercise good cybersecurity hygiene to combat the rising tide of socially crafted scams targeting regular folk.

Read: Make It Hard for Scammers to Get You! Use These Seven Vital Tips

Read: Got a Strange Text? 5 Signs That You’re Being Scammed (and How to Protect Yourself)