Recently, Updenny.com service popped up, promoting itself as a place to keep cryptocurrency and other assets securely. I managed to gather reliable supporting information that unmistakably reveals it is, actually, a fraudulent site.
Despite what Updenny site states, they will never refund your money. Regardless of the figures displayed in the “member area”, there is absolutely no possibility to take out even a coin. All commitments regarding crypto bonuses are empty as well.
Updenny Scam Overview
The key service that Updenny aims to provide is a safe and convenient cryptocurrency wallet service. The site pledges exchange solutions, tools for managing wallets, transfers, dashboards, and similar stuff. In truth, they endeavor to emulate the functionality of a crypto trading platform, akin to Binance or Coinbase. However, it actually only serves as a cover needed to fool the cautious.
First and foremost, Updenny reproduces the layout of multiple equivalent online platforms. There are quite a few examples, like Onitline, Kowlex or Kickorex. They are completely undistinguishable in terms of visual elements, with minor discrepancies in the webpage header. Other specific elements, and at times even crypto wallet addresses, are identical. Most likely, all these scam websites are operated by the same team of swindrels.
Cryptocurrency Scam Summary
| Website | Updenny.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 Updenny Scam Works?
Updenny is yet another webpage within a vast network of interconnected crypto deceptive webpages. The operators employ different brand identities and sites, like Updenny.com, to ensnare victims. However, these deceptive websites possess matching website designs, terms of service, and About Us content. This exposes their sources as components of the same criminal network, which endorses the identical type of fraud under diverse disguises. The scammers merely replicate the equal scam site under different names to fool users into assuming they are enrolling a fresh platform. However, in actuality, it’s the same group of scammers orchestrating the fraudulent promises and efforts to grab deposited funds. The operators shrewdly make use of psychological tactics and appealing offers to execute their deceitful plans.
Step 1: Spreading
To initiate the deceptive scheme, criminals set up and fill accounts on popular social media platforms. They mainly aim at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Subsequently, the marketing campaign begins. Utilizing bots and paid advertisements (when possible), scam actors intensify the presence of their scam activities to possible victims. This approach allows them to cast an extensive net and engage with their focused spectators. This group typically comprises of cryptocurrency enthusiasts looking for chances to make profits.
Users get an encouragement to enroll, drawn by the commitment of obtaining crypto prizes valued at hundreds of dollars, all for free. To increase the attractiveness of the offer, fake claims of cooperation with a celebrity are added. As you may guess, these claims are entirely baseless.
Step 2: Gaining Traffic
Individuals who show interest check out Updenny.com via links present in promotions or bot-generated posts. The webpage employs captivating visuals, design elements that appear genuine, and assertions of holding a valid license, all aimed to convey an initial perception of reliability.
Step 3: Data Gathering
To redeem their benefits, users are required to deliberately sign up on Updenny and get prompts to provide sensitive and private data throughout the registration process. This includes linking their cryptocurrency wallets, providing email addresses, specifying phone numbers, furnishing identification papers, and more.
Step 4: Requesting funds
Once signed up, users witness considerable amounts of cryptocurrency, valued at thousands of dollars, within their Updenny wallets. However, as is typical with such incentives, you are unable to withdraw them before topping up your account. Normally, a payment of $100 is asked to access the sign-up bonus. This condition serves as the trap that ultimately leads to the money loss.
Step 5: Disappear
Signs of Scam
I gathered several facts that point at the scammy nature of the Updenny.com. Actually, there are a lot of scams that fall under the same points, so they are pretty much universal.
- Unsubstantiated Credibility. Updenny 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%, Updenny exploits the longing for quick profits. However, such gains are unrealistic within the volatile cryptocurrency landscape, unequivocally identifying Updenny as a scam.
- Dubious Corporate Information. Updenny 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. Updenny.com 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. Updenny 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 Updenny 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 the scam to authorities. Search for local authorities responsible for financial frauds, and also notify wallet providers and social networks via their tech support. It is essential to make the further operations of these scammers much harder.
- Tell your close friends. That step is similar to reporting to the authorities, and has similar effects. By posting info about scam crypto service, you decrease the pool of people they can fool.
- Get evidence. Screenshot or save all the information related to the website. URL, screenshot of a main page, login window, EULA, account top-up menu, wallet addresses – all these things may be useful for authorities to find the scammers.
- Check whether you can ask for a refund. As I’ve said above, crypto payments do not fall under refund policies in most banks. Nonetheless, in some circumstances, it is still possible. Never lose hope until you actually confirm it is gone.
- Make your mistake your lesson. Financial losses are always a reason for frustration, but let’s imagine it was a pay for scam revealing courses. Remember the key features of these crypto scam sites, the way they attract people and what they promise. In the future, you will easily recognize a trap of spending no money.
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, fraudsters may reach out to you with particular documents. Alternatively, they may offer you to install “cryptocurrency wallet applications” or “browser extensions” to facilitate access to your crypto savings. As we earlier determined, these scoundrels have no intent of giving back your capital. So, what can these email messages and browser plugins represent? You guessed – that is another side of the fraudulent scheme designed to entice you into willingly installing destructive software onto your computer.
Both plugins and attachments included to email messages can act as a shell for diverse malicious software. In this scenario, I anticipate the presence of spyware and stealers among all forms of malicious programs. While it is not obligatory for scammers to distribute malware, the likelihood is always significant. As noted, their conscience is of little concern, and their dignity is already neck deep in mud. They have no principles to give up and strive to boost revenues.
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.
