Recently, Goldenbet.space service popped up, promoting itself as a platform where you can securely store cryptocurrency and other assets. I managed to gather reliable proof that unmistakably confirms it is, actually, a scam site.
Despite the promises of the most convenient, reliable, and client-friendly service, Goldenbet.space does not offer any of them. All this is just a golden wrap around a blatant scam, which steals your money and data and never gives them back. Any tales about gifts, sponsorship from celebrities etc are nowhere to be found as well.
Goldenbet Scam Overview
Originally, Goldenbet poses as a cryptocurrency trading & cryptowallet platform with exceptionally low commission fees. Another highlighted selling point for this platform is backing from celebrities that are known in the crypto world. Vitalii Buterin (Ethereum creator), Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet – the site claims having significant support from them. To make these claims look real, rascals use AI-generated videos where those celebrities advertise the fraud as if it was the best thing in the world. For known reasons, Elon Musk is the most common among them. But, as I mentioned above, all this is just a vivid wrap around a transparent scam.
Goldenbet Scam
First and foremost, Goldenbet repeats the layout of many equivalent pages. There are quite a few examples, like Gowinrex, Joyhaven or Juicyslot. They are totally identical in terms of visual elements, with minor discrepancies in the webpage header. Other details, and at times even crypto wallet addresses, are unchanged. Probably, all these deceptive websites are led by a single group of frauds.
Cryptocurrency Scam Summary
| Website | Goldenbet.space |
| Hosting | AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc. United States, San Francisco |
| IP Address | 172.67.191.218 |
| Threat Type | Scam/Fraud |
| Scam Type | Fraudulent offers of cryptocurrency services |
How the Goldenbet Scam Works?
Goldenbet is a part of a large cryptocurrency scam scheme that started circulating actively in 2023. Rascals who stand behind it use several website designs, which still share the identical overall layout. Another common element are the ways the scams like NAME are promoted, and the manner all this ends up to the victim of the scam. To reach peak efficiency, frauds apply advanced psychological tricks that make the user believe in the authenticity of the website. But let’s review them one by one.
Step 1: Promotion
To initiate the fraud, criminals create and fill accounts on well-liked social media platforms. They mainly aim at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Subsequently, the advertising campaign starts. Using bots and paid advertisements (when possible), scam actors intensify the presence of their scam activities to potential victims. And as I said, crooks do not shy away using deepfake for creating videos with the aforementioned celebrities that advertise their scam to the public. To boost the folks even more, frauds claim the bonus for every user who joins the service immediately.
Promotions of cryptoscams like Goldenbet in TikTok. Most of these videos are AI-generated deepfakes
Step 2: Gaining Traffic
After clicking the promotions, users end up on a page filled with attractive offers. “Crypto starts with Goldenbet”, “Your crypto savings are secured with Goldenbet, “Start earning with Goldenbet – they look rather reliable. To heat up users and make them proceed to step 3, crooks say that getting the promised bonus requires registration. And since nothing concerning happens at this point, uninformed users happily move on – especially as the bonus appears to be right behind the corner.
At this point, it is possible to get away from the scam without any losses. Before you register using your personal info, crooks will not earn even a nickel from your presence on the website.
Step 3: Data Gathering
This is where the main fraud action begins. As I just said, deceivers bait folks for registration with bonuses. And all the personal information needed for it – email, username, cryptocurrency wallet address – are valuable for user identification. Solely by gathering this info and selling it further into the Darknet, fraudsters can earn quite a penny. Nonetheless, their plans go much further.
As it turns out, the alleged bonus is not available for withdrawal right away. To make it at least usable for crypto purchases, you need to top up the account with the sum of a bonus. And this is what initiates the final stage of the scam.
Step 4: Requesting funds
It is obvious that any cryptocurrency purchases require having funds on your account. With Goldenbet, users are also compelled to top up to use the bonuses. And this is what creates the majority of the cash flow to this scam website. By topping up the account, users hope to get the promised gift (usually $500-1000 in USDT), and may start engaging on this site hoping to use all the transferred funds and withdraw them.
This is where the first obvious problems start to surface. When keeping an eye on the actual cryptocurrency wallet vs what the site says, you can notice that no transactions are done whatsoever. And then, when you’d try to retrieve the capital from your account, the scam is finally uncovered to the user.
Step 5: Escaping from Funds Withdrawal
Needless to say that swindlers are naught on intentions to send you money. But to make the denial look more realistic, they’ve developed a whole bunch of reasons to decline the transfer-out request. Usually, they repeat what Know Your Client requirements say, but in this case they are here exclusively to make the withdrawal impossible.
By asking for your personal information, frauds just stall hoping for you to accept the loss and stop contacting them. If you don’t – well, there are multiple other checks you would desperately need to undergo before getting your funds back. And each of these checks will reveal more and more info of yours, which – you guessed it right – will be then marketed on the Darknet. Never reveal your real info to strangers!
Signs of Scam
I gathered several facts that point at the scammy nature of the Goldenbet.space. Actually, there are a lot of scams that fall under the same points, so they are pretty much universal.
- Unsubstantiated Credibility. Goldenbet employs fraudulent celebrity endorsements, often featuring names like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mr. Beast, and Mark Zuckerberg. These false claims extend to fictitious partnerships with reputable entities like Coinbase, Binance, or MetaMask, despite the absence of genuine connections.
- Implausible Earnings Claims. Promising remarkable returns of 50-100-200%, Goldenbet exploits the longing for quick profits. However, such gains are unrealistic within the volatile cryptocurrency landscape, unequivocally identifying Goldenbet as a scam.
- Dubious Corporate Information. Goldenbet arouses suspicion by providing inadequate documentation about ownership, location, and registration. Furthermore, the lack of legitimate contact information and the recent registration of domain and social media profiles deepen skepticism.
- Exclusive Cryptocurrency Payments. Goldenbet.space solely accepts payments in cryptocurrencies, refraining from traditional bank transfers and other payment methods. This approach not only shrouds the company’s identity but also prevents the possibility of requesting refunds.
- Potential Pyramid Scheme. The scam relies on a Ponzi-like referral structure disseminated through social media. Nevertheless, only initial participants profit, often at the expense of funds brought in by subsequent members.
- Groundless Hype Tactics. Goldenbet utilizes fabricated claims about non-existent events, such as securing contracts with Coinbase or receiving endorsements from Elon Musk. This manipulative strategy aims to foster belief in money returns and encourages individuals to top up their accounts again.
What Should I do as a Victim?
If you had to deal with Goldenbet site and fell victim to that scam, there are still some steps to take. They will make further scam attempts harder, and also boost the knowledge about that scam among folks.
- Immediate Reporting. Your initial step should involve promptly notifying local authorities specializing in financial fraud. Extend your reach by reaching out to wallet providers and engaging with social networks’ technical support teams. These actions serve to raise the bar for the scammers’ operations.
- Share among Friends. Amplify your efforts by informing your close friends about the scam. Similar to informing authorities, this dissemination of information restricts the scammers’ potential victim pool.
- Preserve Crucial Information. Compile a comprehensive evidence archive by capturing screenshots and archiving all relevant website-related data. Collect the website URL, screenshots of the main page, login interface, end-user license agreement (EULA), account top-up menu, and wallet addresses. These records could provide vital clues for authorities in their pursuit of the scammers.
- Exploring Refund Options. While most banks’ refund policies may exclude cryptocurrency payments, it’s advisable to explore potential refund avenues under specific circumstances. Maintain hope until you obtain confirmation of the loss.
- Transform Loss into Knowledge. Turn your financial setback into an opportunity for growth. View your loss as an investment in understanding the strategies employed by crypto scam sites. Familiarize yourself with their telltale characteristics, the methods they employ to entice individuals, and the extravagant promises they make. Equipped with this insight, you’ll be well-prepared to spot and evade future traps without suffering additional financial setbacks.
Scan your system for possible malware infections
Beware of cross scams! Scam actors can use your trust to make you download some stuff or interact with certain documents. It may be a trap that installs malware to your system. There are no moral barriers or limits for these scoundrels.
Throughout the timeline of the scam, fraudsters may reach out to you with particular documents. Alternatively, they may offer you to set up “cryptocurrency wallet applications” or “browser extensions” to simplify access to your cryptocurrency savings. As we already determined, these scoundrels have no intention of giving back your funds. So, what do these emails and browser plugins represent? Correct – that is another element of the fraudulent scheme designed to entice you into deliberately running destructive software onto your computer.
Both add-ons and files included to email messages can serve as a shell for various malicious software. In this situation, I foresee the presence of spyware and stealers among other types of threats. While it is not mandatory for scammers to distribute malware, the probability is always significant. As stated, their ethics is of negligible importance, and their reputation is already severely tarnished. They have nothing to give up and strive to boost revenues.
