Scam Uses Popular Anime Characters to Steal Your Money or Crypto

The internet is rife with scams, and fraudsters are becoming increasingly creative. One type of scam preys on nostalgia and trust by using imagery or themes associated with beloved characters from pop culture.

In this post, we’ll dissect a ‘familiar character scam’ that will “thunder shock” you. We will break down its methods and offer tips to protect yourself from similar schemes.

This scam began as a Facebook ad, and we can’t share the content because it is instantly recognisable, so we invented the famous franchise called “Battle Animals” to explain this scam instead.

This type of scam is a little similar to a celebrity scam, in that the character being used in the scam could be well known, trusted or popular.

Step 1: Unauthorised use of familiar imagery

The first warning sign on this website is its unauthorised use of a well-loved character with bright yellow fur, cute little ears and an electric personality. We are of course talking about the one and only ElectroCat from the famous Battle Animals series.

Such characters are protected by strict intellectual property laws, and their use without permission should immediately raise suspicion.

No legitimate project would use iconic imagery from a globally recognised franchise without clear partnerships or legal authorisation, especially not ElectroCat. This tactic is meant to evoke a sense of trust and familiarity while masking malicious intentions, because we all remember ElectroCat from our childhoods!

Step 2: Promises of easy Wealth

As you explore the site, you find grand promises of quick riches, tied to extremely speculative digital assets. These claims prey on excitement and fear of missing out (FOMO), encouraging visitors to act quickly without verifying the site's legitimacy.

Real investment opportunities never guarantee profits, especially in volatile markets. The lack of transparency about the individuals or companies running the site is a major red flag.

Step 3: Psychological manipulation through urgency

The website uses psychological tricks to pressure users into acting immediately. Countdown timers, limited-time offers, or notifications of others supposedly cashing out large sums are all designed to lower your guard.

This tactic aims to create a sense of urgency, pushing you to make decisions without critical thinking. Legitimate platforms don’t rely on such methods to drive engagement.

Step 4: Fake testimonials and activity logs

The scam site includes glowing testimonials and logs of fake transactions to create an illusion of credibility. Comments from “satisfied users” or logs showing large withdrawals add to the façade. At a time of market volatility, these claims are what trick people into losing their money.

In reality, these testimonials are often untraceable and generic, crafted solely to convince you the website is authentic. Anyone can generate a fake profile picture that looks real, slap a name on it and rate anything 5 stars these days.

Step 5: Requests for wallet connections, ridiculous roadmaps, locked liquidity

At its core, this scam is about one thing: stealing your money or personal data. After luring you in, the site may ask for sensitive information like wallet keys or demand an upfront payment to “unlock” promised rewards.

This is the point where the trap is sprung. Sharing such information can lead to identity theft or the loss of your funds.

Finally, if you read the roadmap, it’s mostly nonsense – and things that will never ever happen. The roadmap even quite literally says “world domination” for the token. It also talks about selling ElectroCat merchandise, which they are not authorised to sell. Both are ridiculous, egregious claims designed to trick you into getting your money involved.

Be vigilant: Same scam, different skin

On November 11 2024, we detected a new cryptocurrency scam – similar enough to the ElectroCat scam we have just talked about, but it’s important to show you the timeline of these scams.

Conclusion: Recognise the red flags

These types of scams rely on a combination of psychological manipulation and too-good-to-be-true promises, as well as market timing. A huge increase in these ads appear on social media around times of high crypto market volatility.

In some cases, as we keep writing these kinds of posts to keep you informed and safe, scammers begin to make use of unauthorised branding in an attempt to add legitimacy to the scam, as we saw with ElectroCat.

Here are the key lessons to take away:

Be wary of websites using characters or imagery associated with popular media unless they’re officially endorsed.

Avoid sites promising guaranteed returns, especially in speculative markets.

Stay cautious of platforms using urgency or pressure tactics to force decisions.

Never share sensitive information like wallet keys, and always research platforms before engaging.

Utilise a separate wallet from your main cold storage for active trading, and do not keep your full balance on a trading wallet.

Scammers are skilled at exploiting trust and familiarity to achieve their goals. By staying informed and skeptical, you can protect yourself from falling victim to these schemes. If something feels off, trust your instincts and do your research before engaging with any website.

One last thing about the ElectroCat scam – while we can’t share the scam website or imagery of the scam because of how recognisable it is, we can instead share a website that the scam token will soon be listed on:

Be careful out there!

How can I avoid falling victim to scams using beloved characters?

-Look for official endorsements or affiliations.

-Be skeptical of unsolicited opportunities that promise big returns.

-Research the website and company thoroughly before providing personal information.

-Consult trusted sources or friends if you’re unsure about a platform’s legitimacy.

Conclusion: Recognise the red flags

These types of scams rely on a combination of psychological manipulation and too-good-to-be-true promises, as well as market timing. A huge increase in these ads appear on social media around times of high crypto market volatility.

In some cases, as we keep writing these kinds of posts to keep you informed and safe, scammers begin to make use of unauthorised branding in an attempt to add legitimacy to the scam, as we saw with ElectroCat.

Here are the key lessons to take away:

Be wary of websites using characters or imagery associated with popular media unless they’re officially endorsed.

Avoid sites promising guaranteed returns, especially in speculative markets.

Stay cautious of platforms using urgency or pressure tactics to force decisions.

Never share sensitive information like wallet keys, and always research platforms before engaging.

Utilise a separate wallet from your main cold storage for active trading, and do not keep your full balance on a trading wallet.

Scammers are skilled at exploiting trust and familiarity to achieve their goals. By staying informed and skeptical, you can protect yourself from falling victim to these schemes. If something feels off, trust your instincts and do your research before engaging with any website.

One last thing about the ElectroCat scam – while we can’t share the scam website or imagery of the scam because of how recognisable it is, we can instead share a website that the scam token will soon be listed on:

Be careful out there!

How can I avoid falling victim to scams using beloved characters?

-Look for official endorsements or affiliations. -Be skeptical of unsolicited opportunities that promise big returns. -Research the website and company thoroughly before providing personal information. -Consult trusted sources or friends if you’re unsure about a platform’s legitimacy.