We Investigated Hipnex: Legit or Scam? The Facts

Recently, Hipnex.com website appeared, promoting itself as a platform to keep cryptocurrency and other assets securely. I managed to gather credible supporting information that unmistakably indicates it is, in truth, a deceptive platform.

Despite what Hipnex site says, they won’t pay off your capital. Regardless of the money displayed in the “member area”, there is zero way to retrieve even a single penny. All promises regarding crypto incentives are hollow as well.

Hipnex Scam Overview

The primary service that Hipnex aims to provide is a safe and user-friendly cryptocurrency wallet service. The website pledges crypto exchange services, tools for handling wallets, transfers, dashboards, and alike functions. In truth, they aim to emulate the functionality of a crypto exchange, akin to Binance or Coinbase. However, it in actuality only serves as a shell needed to mislead the cautious.

Hipnex Scam

Initially, Hipnex reproduces the layout of many similar online platforms. There are quite a few examples, like Ewofex, Elxnge or Doyrex. They are completely undistinguishable in terms of graphic elements, with minor discrepancies in the webpage header. Other particulars, and sometimes even crypto wallet addresses, are unchanged. Probably, all these scam online platforms are led by a single team of scoundrels.

Cryptocurrency Scam Summary

How the Hipnex Scam Works?

Hipnex is yet another webpage within a vast network of interconnected crypto scam sites. The administrators employ different brand titles and websites, like Hipnex.com, to capture victims. However, these false sites have in common the same designs, terms of service, and About Us information. This unveils their origins as parts of the identical fraudulent network, which advocates the similar mode of fraud under diverse disguises. The scammers merely copy the equal scam website under diverse names to deceive users into believing they are participating in a fresh opportunity. However, in actuality, it’s the same system of scammers orchestrating the fraudulent promises and attempts to grab deposited cryptocurrency. The managers shrewdly utilize psychological maneuvers and enticing propositions to execute their dishonest plots.

Step 1: Spreading

To initiate the deceptive scheme, criminals create and fill accounts on well-liked social media platforms. They primarily target Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Subsequently, the advertising campaign commences. Utilizing bots and sponsored advertisements (when achievable), scam actors boost the presence of their scam activities to potential victims. This tactic enables them to cast an extensive net and engage with their focused spectators. This public typically comprises of cryptocurrency enthusiasts seeking chances to generate profits.

Users receive a stimulus to enroll, enticed by the assurance of receiving crypto rewards valued at hundreds of dollars, all without cost. To augment the appeal of the offer, false suggestions of sponsorship by a celebrity are added. As you may guess, these assertions are entirely baseless.

Step 2: Gaining Traffic

Users who demonstrate interest visit Hipnex.com via links present in advertisements or robotic posts. The website utilizes captivating visuals, design elements that appear genuine, and claims of possessing a official license, all designed to convey an initial impression of reliability.

Step 3: Data Gathering

To redeem their rewards, users are required to deliberately create an account on Hipnex and receive prompts to provide sensitive and personal data throughout the registration process. This comprises linking their cryptocurrency wallets, revealing email addresses, supplying phone numbers, submitting identification documents, and the like.

Step 4: Requesting funds

Once signed up, users notice substantial amounts of cryptocurrency, valued at hundreds of dollars, within their Hipnex wallets. Nonetheless, as is standard with such incentives, you cannot withdraw them before topping up your account. Normally, a deposit of $100 is required to access the sign-up bonus. This prerequisite serves as the enticement that ultimately leads to the money loss.

Step 5: Disappear

The moment the funds transfer is submitted, the fraudsters terminate all interaction. They proceed to block users, delete accounts, and disappear with both the submitted funds and vital individual data. The fictitious prizes continue to be perpetually uncredited, as they lack actual existence. They operate purely as a deceptive strategy. This method forms the foundation for the deceivers’ capability to deceive victims and steal hard-earned funds through their deceptive online crypto fraud.

Signs of Scam

I gathered several facts that point at the scammy nature of the Hipnex.com. Actually, there are a lot of scams that fall under the same points, so they are pretty much universal.

• Absent company details. Hipnex does not provide any documentation about its ownership, location or registration. No legitimate contact details are given either. Moreover, it appears that the domain and all social network pages were registered quite recently.
• Fake sponsorship from a celebrity. Scams like Hipnex like to pick a celebrity as a sponsor of this entire campaign. For obvious reasons, fraudsters generally choose Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mr. Beast, Mark Zuckerberg, and similar celebrities. They do not disdain claiming partnership with a company as well. Even though Coinbase, Binance or MetaMask never heard of Hipnex, they do not care – this creates a halo of credibility.
• Potential Ponzi Scheme. The scam relies on a Ponzi-like referral system to spread reach through social media. In fact, only the first members will receive the payoff, at the cost of the money brought by other members.
• Hype without facts. Frauds can cheer up their victims from time to time, using claims about non-existent events. “We got contracts with Coinbase”, “Elon Musk mentioned us as the most prolific crypto project” – you could likely hear something like that. This is made to make people believe in their money return. This can be the sauce to make people top-up their accounts once again.
• Crypto-only incoming payments. Whether the user tries to top-up the account, hackers will only accept payments in crypto – no bank transfers or other payment methods. Such an approach completely hides the identity of the company and deprives you of the ability to ask for a refund.
• Claims are too good to be true. Let’s be sane and sober: even in crypto space, there are not many places where you can earn 50-100-200%. Being able to participate in all of them is nearly impossible, as well as it is impossible to insure or hedge all the risks. Even by that reason alone I can tell that the Hipnex is a definite scam.

What Should I do as a Victim?

If you had to deal with Hipnex 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.

• Report to Authorities. Your initial action should involve reporting the scam to local authorities responsible for addressing financial fraud. Additionally, reach out to wallet providers and engage with the technical support teams of social networks. This collective effort raises the bar for the scammers’ operations.
• Inform Your Inner Circle. Extend your impact by sharing information about the scam with your close friends. Similar to notifying authorities, this dissemination of details curbs the scammers’ potential to deceive.
• Document the Trail. Assemble a comprehensive record by capturing screenshots and archiving all relevant website-related data. This encompasses the website URL, screenshots of the main page, login interface, end-user license agreement (EULA), account top-up menu, and wallet addresses. These materials offer invaluable leads for authorities in their pursuit of the scammers.
• Explore Refund Possibilities. While cryptocurrency payments may not typically align with traditional bank refund policies, it’s worthwhile to explore potential refund avenues under specific circumstances. Maintain a positive outlook until you secure confirmation of the loss.
• Transform Loss into Insight. Shift your focus from the financial loss to gaining wisdom. Consider your loss as an investment in comprehending the tactics employed by crypto scam sites. Familiarize yourself with their distinctive traits, the methods they employ to entice individuals, and the extravagant pledges they make. This knowledge equips you to recognize and avoid future traps, minimizing the risk of enduring further 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 fraud, its actors may get in touch with you with specific files. Alternatively, they may propose you to set up “cryptocurrency wallet applications” or “browser extensions” to simplify access to your cryptocurrency assets. As we already figured out, these scammers have no intention of returning your capital. So, what do these email messages and browser add-ons represent? Correct – that is another element of the deceptive plan designed to throw you into willingly installing malicious software onto your computer.

Both plugins and attachments included to emails can act as a shell for various malware. In this situation, I anticipate 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 existent. As noted, their ethics is of little concern, and their dignity is already severely tarnished. They have no principles to lose and aim to boost revenues.

Frequently asked questions