Welcome to our Hobi Scam Warning in which we investigate not just hobitrade.com, but also kureex.com.
On March 2, 2023, the following complaint was filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) by a Minnesota, USA person who claims being scammed for $100,000 by the Hobi cryptocurrency scam:
You cannot withdraw funds unless you settle any owed money to the IRS. Additionally, the system keeps prompting you to deposit funds in the form of USDT to verify your account.
The person claims the scammer used the following contact information:
- Email: Orecax@gmail.com
- Telephone: (413) 306-8003 (Massachusetts, USA area code)
So what is Hobi and is it indeed a SCAM?
Hobi Review
We are not sure what is this “Hobi” mentioned in the complaint.
It could be a website that used to be hosted at hobitrade.com.
While hobitrade.com is no longer online, its login page is still indexed on Google and is titled “Kureex.”
Googling “Kureex,” reveals that this is just another clone from the network of scams review.
Specifically, it is the fourth network.
Get in touch with our affiliated Cryptocurrency Forensic Specialists at CNC Intelligence for free by filling out the form below.
Googling the email “Orecax@gmail.com” reveals that it belongs to Thanh T Nguyen from Pflugerville, TX. Phone number: (413) 306-8003. (Same phone number provided in the BBB complaint.)
On Twitter, there is an account named Brittany Wheeler that promotes Hobitrade.com. Telephone: (213) 537-5910. (Los Angeles, CA area code.)
There’s also an Instagram channel called hobitrade with 27 followers and a Facebook public group with 106 members.
Finally, on hellopeter.com, we find this review from March 29, 2022:
The company scammed me, and the sad part is that it’s linked to the Luno app. I deposited money for trading in my account, and after 7 days, it was supposed to generate profits. But when I tried to withdraw my money, they asked for a withdrawal fee. Then, when I expected my money to come through, they asked me to pay SARS fees, saying they can’t release the money until I pay.
It’s sad how these people scam needy individuals to make a better living for themselves. You get robbed hard, and on Facebook, the page is called “How to Trade with Luno” with fake profiles and names. Your money gets stolen via bitcoin on Luno, and they refer you to their fake company.
Kureex
The domain kureex.com was registered on March 9, 2022, for one year through Hosting Concepts B.V. d/b/a Registrar. It is hosted by Hostinger International Limited.
Their Semrush Authority Score is 2% with 7 backlinks from 7 referring domains, but none of them endow any trust upon Kureex.
Not much information can be found regarding Kureex online, however, the fact that it’s part of a network of scam sites is enough for us to warn against doing business with them.
Still, let’s see if there is any new information on the site that might give them some credibility, such as company information.
The phone number is +44 07586256411. (A valid UK number.)
Address: Montfichet Rd, London E20 1EJ, United Kingdom. (Looks like a shopping mall on Google Maps.)
Company name: Kureex Globals.
On their About page, they claim that “Kureex has been offering Crypto Trading services since 2010 and is currently one of the most successful and fastest-growing Crypto brokers,” however as we’ve seen, the website is just about one year old and does not get much traffic.
Update (September 5, 2024)
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued a warning on September 5, 2024, regarding KUREEX, indicating that the firm may be offering or promoting financial services in the UK without the required authorization. The FCA urges the public to avoid engaging with KUREEX and to be cautious of potential scams. According to the FCA, most firms providing financial services in the UK must be authorized, and KUREEX is not. The firm is suspected of targeting UK residents without proper permission.
KUREEX operates from Montfitchet Road, London, UNITED KINGDOM, E20 1EJ.
They can be contacted via telephone at +44 7586 256411 and through the emails support.team@kureex.com and mail@kureex.com.
Their website is listed as kureex.com.
The FCA advises checking their Warning List for other unauthorized firms and individuals.
Bottom Line
In conclusion, the Hobi cryptocurrency scam mentioned in the Better Business Bureau complaint appears to be part of a larger network of scams.
While not much information can be found online about the specific website mentioned in the complaint, Kureex, its association with other known scams is enough reason to caution against doing business with them.
The lack of credibility and company information only adds to the suspicion surrounding Hobi International. It’s important to stay vigilant when it comes to investing and working with cryptocurrency platforms and to be cautious of scams like this.
If you have fallen victim to online scams, please inform us by commenting 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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