Recently, Tradebst.com site appeared, promoting itself as a platform to store cryptocurrency and other assets securely. I managed to gather reliable supporting information that clearly reveals it is, actually, a deceptive platform.
Despite what Tradebst site states, they will never pay off your funds. Regardless of the figures displayed in the “member area”, there is no way to take out even a penny. All promises regarding crypto incentives are empty as well.
Tradebst Scam Overview
The primary service that Tradebst strives to provide is a safe and user-friendly cryptocurrency wallet service. The website promises exchange solutions, tools for handling wallets, transfers, dashboards, and alike functions. In truth, they aim to emulate the functionality of a crypto trading platform, akin to Binance or Coinbase. However, it actually only serves as a cover needed to mislead the cautious.
Initially, Tradebst reproduces the appearance of multiple similar websites. There are quite a few examples, like Gelamex, Flumonex or Floamix. They are entirely identical in terms of visual elements, with small discrepancies in the webpage header. Other particulars, and sometimes even crypto wallet addresses, are matching. Probably, all these deceptive websites are managed by a single group of frauds.
Cryptocurrency Scam Summary
| Website | Tradebst.com |
| Hosting | AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc. United States, San Francisco |
| IP Address | 188.114.96.3 |
| Threat Type | Scam/Fraud |
| Scam Type | Fraudulent offers of cryptocurrency services |
How the Tradebst Scam Works?
Tradebst is yet another webpage within a extensive network of interconnected crypto fraudulent webpages. The managers employ different brand names and sites, like Tradebst.com, to capture victims. However, these fraudulent sites have in common the same designs, terms of service, and About content. This reveals their beginnings as a part of the identical criminal network, which advocates the identical form of scam under different covers. The fraudsters simply copy the equal scam site under various names to deceive users into assuming they are participating in a new opportunity. However, in reality, it’s the equal system of scammers orchestrating the fraudulent commitments and efforts to grab deposited funds. The managers cleverly make use of psychological strategies and enticing invitations to execute their deceitful plans.
Step 1: Spreading
To start the scam, criminals create and fill accounts on well-liked social media platforms. They mainly target Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Subsequently, the marketing campaign commences. Using bots and sponsored ads (when possible), fraud actors intensify the presence of their deceptive activities to potential victims. This tactic enables them to create an extensive net and interact with their aimed spectators. The audience commonly consists of cryptocurrency enthusiastic individuals looking for chances to earn profits.
Step 2: Gaining Traffic
Individuals who demonstrate interest check out Tradebst.com via links present in promotions or robotic posts. The webpage uses captivating visuals, design aspects that appear genuine, and assertions of possessing a legitimate license, all intended to present an initial perception of trustworthiness.
Step 3: Data Gathering
To collect their rewards, users must actively set up an account on Tradebst and receive prompts to submit sensitive and personal data during the sign-up procedure. This comprises linking their cryptocurrency wallets, providing email addresses, specifying phone numbers, sending in identification papers, and the like.
Step 4: Requesting funds
Once signed up, users observe significant amounts of cryptocurrency, valued at hundreds of dollars, within their Tradebst wallets. However, as is typical with such rewards, you can’t withdraw them before making a deposit. Usually, a funds transfer of $100 is required to withdraw the sign-up bonus. This condition serves as the enticement that eventually results to the money loss.
Step 5: Disappear
The instant the payment is submitted, the deceivers cease all contact. They go ahead to block users, erase accounts, and disappear with both the transferred funds and essential personal information. The phony rewards remain perpetually uncredited, as they lack genuine existence. They act purely as a deceptive strategy. This technique forms the foundation for the deceivers’ ability to deceive victims and steal hard-earned earnings through their double-dealing online crypto scam.
Signs of Scam
I gathered several facts that point at the scammy nature of the Tradebst.com. Actually, there are a lot of scams that fall under the same points, so they are pretty much universal.
- False Celebrity Sponsorship. Tradebst often resorts to fake endorsements from celebrities such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mr. Beast, and Mark Zuckerberg. This fraudulent tactic extends to claiming partnerships with reputable companies like Coinbase, Binance, or MetaMask, despite lacking any genuine affiliations.
- Cryptocurrency-Only Payments. Tradebst.com exclusively accepts payments in cryptocurrencies, rejecting traditional bank transfers and other methods. This approach not only masks the company’s identity but also eliminates the possibility of seeking refunds.
- Dubious Company Information. Tradebst raises suspicion by withholding essential ownership, location, and registration details. Furthermore, the absence of legitimate contact information and the recent establishment of domain and social media pages intensify skepticism.
- Unsubstantiated Hype. Tradebst.com employs groundless hype tactics, fabricating events like securing contracts with Coinbase or receiving endorsements from Elon Musk. These manipulative techniques aim to instill false confidence and encourage further investments.
- Potential Pyramid Scheme. The scam relies on a structure resembling a Ponzi scheme, leveraging a referral system spread through social media. However, only initial participants benefit, often at the expense of subsequent investors.
- Implausible Claims. Promising returns of 50-100-200%, Tradebst preys on the desire for quick profits. Yet, the volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market makes such gains highly unlikely, definitively labeling Tradebst as a scam.
What Should I do as a Victim?
If you had to deal with Tradebst 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 duration of the fraud, its actors may reach out to you with specific files. Alternatively, they may propose you to deploy “cryptocurrency wallet applications” or “browser extensions” to facilitate access to your cryptocurrency savings. As we previously figured out, these scammers have no plan of giving back your capital. So, what do these email messages and browser plugins represent? You guessed it right – that is another component of the fraudulent scheme designed to entice you into deliberately running harmful software onto your device.
Both extensions and files added to emails can function as a carrier for various malicious software. In this situation, I foresee the presence of spyware and stealers among all kinds of malicious programs. While it is not obligatory for scammers to distribute malware, the probability is always above zero. As stated, their morality is of negligible importance, and their dignity is already seriously marred. They have no scruples to give up and intend to maximize profits.
Frequently asked questions
- Contact your bank or card provider and ask about chargeback options.
- Save screenshots, receipts, tracking numbers, and emails as evidence.
- Change reused passwords and enable two-factor authentication on important accounts.
- Watch for follow-up phishing emails pretending to offer refunds or delivery updates.
