Welcome to a quick warning about push notification scams and a website called Bitcoin Bonus, currently found at free-gamms.site/exchangeBTC.
On February 9, 2023, the following report was published on the BBB (Better Business Bureau) by a Cookeville, Tennessee, United States person who claims to lose $64 for a CryptoCurrency scam:
I received a push notification on my phone from Google Drive indicating that I had a message in Google Meet, which was odd as I had never used that part of Google’s services before.
I followed the link provided, but it led me to a confusing and unhelpful experience that eventually directed me to another link where I was asked to pay $64 to withdraw bitcoin that they claimed I was owed.
The fraudulent website’s address is free-gamms.site/exchangeBTC.
So what exactly is free-gamms.site/exchangeBTC, and is it a SCAM?
Bitcoin Bonus Review
The domain free-gamms.site was registered less than a week ago, on February 8, 2023, for one year through the Registrar of Domain Names REG.RU, LLC. Cloudflare protects it and seems to be owned by a Russian person or entity.
Microsoft Edge browser shows a warning when trying to access the site:
This site has been reported as unsafe. Microsoft recommends you don’t continue to this site. It has been reported to Microsoft for containing misleading content that could lead you to lose personal info, financial data, and even money.
Google Chrome, unfortunately, does not show this warning currently.
It’s too early to tell if they are getting any traffic and how they acquire it, but they may be mainly promoted through push notifications.
For those unfamiliar with push notification scams, these online scams involve sending fraudulent or misleading push notifications to a user’s mobile device or web browser.
Get in touch with our affiliated Cryptocurrency Forensic Specialists at CNC Intelligence for free by filling out the form below.
These notifications are designed to look like legitimate alerts from apps or websites that the user has previously interacted with but contain links to malicious websites, fraudulent offers, or phishing pages, such as free-gamms.site.
These scams can be used to trick users into downloading malware, revealing personal information, or making unauthorized purchases. They are often delivered via social media, email, or SMS and may target specific groups or individuals based on their demographics or behavior.
To avoid push notification scams, you should be cautious of unexpected alerts, verify the legitimacy of requests for personal or financial information, and only interact with notifications from trusted sources. It is also recommended to keep mobile devices and web browsers up-to-date with the latest security patches and to use anti-virus software.
In the case of free-gamms.site, when we enter the site we see a popup that tells us that
364 days ago, you registered on our platform for automatic cloud Bitcoin mining (collecting) by linking your devices to our platform by IP address. You were not active in your personal account, but the collection of cryptocurrency occurred automatically from your device.
Long story short, I now have accumulated $29,037.15 or 1.31 BTC, which is waiting for me to claim.
A countdown timer warns me that my account will be deleted in 24 hours, so I should hurry up and take action. (However, the timer resets to 24 hours each time I refresh the page.)
To claim the money, they instruct me to:
To receive the earned funds, follow three simple steps:
- Log in to your account by clicking the button below. If you do not remember your old password, use the password the system will automatically give you.
- In your account, contact your manager, and they will prepare a payment for you.
- Request a withdrawal.
They then led me to a fake login page of a platform called Bitcoin Bonus with the username and password already filled in.
The page contains fake information such as “Your accrual history,” an online chat of members, and links that do not work to a Privacy Policy and User Agreement.
On June 2, 2023, we received the following complaint from a person who provided account information to try and receive the promised Bitcoin. They wrote:
They require your account information for the transaction, and then deplete your funds. I was duped out of more than $6K. Indeed, they took my money.
We tried joining the online chat but received no response, indicating it may be a sham.
An address is provided: 18641 Shenandoah Dr, Oregon City, OR, 97045, but according to Google Maps, it is an address of a private residence.
We did not have the nerves to go through with the process of trying to withdraw the money for fear of being hacked, but even so, it is evident that Bitcoin Bonus and free-gams are a SCAM!
Complaint We Received
On August 8, 2023, we received the following complaint:
I received an email from a Bitcoin mining company and a separate notification via Jira linked to Google, indicating I had funds to withdraw. To access the purported $39,000, I was asked to pay multiple fees: $64 for payment access, two $48 commission fees, about $98 for account rental to evade taxes, and an additional $83 for gratuities. Ultimately, I ceased the process, but not before parting with nearly $260 in Bitcoin.
Bitcoin Bonus Review – Bottom Line
Bitcoin Bonus is a cloud mining service that claims to allow users to mine cryptocurrency using their smartphone or computer. The service is accessible to anyone, and more than 100,000 people worldwide allegedly use it as an additional source of income.
Another fake claim found on the Bitcoin Bonus website is that the service collaborates with the official Binance cryptocurrency exchange service to withdraw funds, and a manager can help users withdraw their funds within 10 minutes.
In conclusion, push notification scams are becoming increasingly common and can be used to deceive users into revealing personal information or making unauthorized purchases.
Bitcoin Bonus (free-gamms.site/exchangeBTC) is a fraudulent website currently being promoted through push notifications, and it is essential to be cautious of unexpected alerts and only interact with notifications from trusted sources. While it claims to offer cloud mining services, it is, in fact, a scam that aims to deceive users into paying money for nonexistent earnings.
Staying informed and using caution when engaging with unfamiliar websites or notifications is essential to avoid falling victim to these scams.
If you have fallen victim to online scams, please comment below. If you have suffered a substantial financial loss, do not despair. We are here to assist you in recovering your funds!
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