Recently, Untex.us website appeared, promoting itself as a platform to store cryptocurrency and other assets safely. I managed to gather reliable proof that clearly reveals it is, in truth, a deceptive site.
Despite what Untex site says, they will never pay off your capital. Despite the numbers displayed in the “member area”, there is no way to withdraw even a penny. All commitments regarding crypto incentives are empty as well.
Untex Scam Overview
The primary offering that Untex strives to provide is a secure and user-friendly cryptocurrency wallet service. The site promises exchange facilities, tools for controlling wallets, transfers, dashboards, and similar stuff. In fact, they endeavor to emulate the functionality of a crypto marketplace, like Binance or Coinbase. However, it actually only serves as a cover intended to mislead the cautious.
Untex Scam
To begin with, Untex reproduces the layout of numerous similar pages. There are quite a few examples, like Untex, Xspacx or Welumex. They are totally indistinguishable in terms of graphic elements, with small discrepancies in the website header. Other specific elements, and at times even crypto wallet addresses, are the same. Presumably, all these deceptive websites are managed by a single team of scoundrels.
Cryptocurrency Scam Summary
| Website | Untex.us |
| Hosting | AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc. United States, San Francisco |
| IP Address | 172.67.196.171 |
| Threat Type | Scam/Fraud |
| Scam Type | Fraudulent offers of cryptocurrency services |
How the Untex Scam Works?
Untex is yet another webpage within a extensive network of associated crypto deceptive webpages. The managers utilize various brand names and sites, like Untex.us, to capture victims. Nonetheless, these fraudulent sites possess identical designs, terms of service, and About information. This unveils their origins as parts of the same scam network, which endorses the similar form of deception under various covers. The scammers simply duplicate the same fraudulent site under various names to fool users into thinking they are participating in a new platform. However, in reality, it’s the equal system of fraudsters orchestrating the deceptive promises and undertakings to take deposited cryptocurrency. The operators skillfully employ psychological strategies and captivating offers to carry out their deceitful schemes.
Step 1: Spreading
To initiate the scam, criminals establish and fill accounts on popular social media platforms. They generally target Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Subsequently, the advertising campaign starts. Utilizing bots and sponsored promotions (when feasible), scam actors intensify the presence of their scam activities to potential victims. This approach allows them to cast a broad net and interact with their targeted audience. The latter typically comprises of cryptocurrency enthusiasts searching for prospects to make profits.
Step 2: Gaining Traffic
People who show interest go to Untex.us via links present in ads or robotic posts. The webpage employs captivating visuals, design aspects that appear genuine, and assertions of holding a official license, all aimed to convey an initial image of reliability.
Step 3: Data Gathering
To redeem their rewards, users need to actively set up an account on Untex and get prompts to submit sensitive and personal information throughout the registration process. This comprises linking their cryptocurrency wallets, sharing email addresses, specifying phone numbers, submitting identification papers, and the like.
Step 4: Requesting funds
Once registered, users notice considerable amounts of cryptocurrency, valued at hundreds of dollars, within their Untex wallets. However, as is standard with such bonuses, you cannot withdraw them prior to topping up your account. Typically, a deposit of $100 is required to withdraw the sign-up bonus. This condition serves as the enticement that ultimately culminates to the money loss.
Step 5: Disappear
The point in time the payment is sent, the scammers halt all interaction. They move forward to block users, delete accounts, and disappear with both the deposited funds and vital private details. The fictitious rewards continue to be perpetually uncredited, as they lack actual existence. They act exclusively as a phishing strategy. This technique forms the foundation for the deceivers’ capability to deceive victims and steal hard-earned earnings through their deceptive online crypto scam.
Signs of Scam
I gathered several facts that point at the scammy nature of the Untex.us. Actually, there are a lot of scams that fall under the same points, so they are pretty much universal.
- Absent company details. Untex 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 Untex 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 Untex, 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 Untex is a definite scam.
What Should I do as a Victim?
If you had to deal with Untex 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 duration of the scam, its actors may reach out to you with specific files. Alternatively, they may propose you to install “cryptocurrency wallet applications” or “browser extensions” to facilitate access to your crypto assets. As we already figured out, these deceivers have no intent of returning your capital. So, what can these emails and browser add-ons represent? You guessed – that is another component of the scam designed to throw you into willingly installing harmful programs onto your computer.
Both extensions and attachments included to emails can serve as a shell for diverse malware. In this scenario, I expect the presence of spyware and stealers among all forms of threats. While it is not mandatory for scammers to distribute malware, the chance is always above zero. As previously mentioned, their morality is of no concern, and their dignity is already severely tarnished. They have no principles to give up and aim to boost revenues.
