Recently, Vkevex.com website surfaced, promoting itself as a place where you can safely keep cryptocurrency and other assets. I managed to gather reliable supporting information that clearly indicates it is, actually, a fraudulent platform.
Regardless of the promises of the most easy, trustworthy, and customer-centric service, Vkevex.com does not offer any of them. All this is just a shiny wrap around a blatant scam, which steals your money and data and never returns them. Any stories about bonuses, backing from celebrities etc are absent as well.
Vkevex Scam Overview
Originally, Vkevex poses as a crypto trading & cryptowallet platform with outstandingly low commission fees. Another bright selling point for this service is partnerships with 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, frauds use AI-generated videos where those celebrities advertise the fake crypto service as the best thing in the world. Obviously, Elon Musk is the most common among them. But, as I mentioned above, all this is just a vivid wrap around a transparent scam.
Initially, Vkevex repeats the design of many equivalent online platforms. There are quite a few examples, like Vikrex, Hesonax or Droplayzer. They are completely indistinguishable in terms of graphic elements, with minor discrepancies in the website header. Other specific elements, and at times even crypto wallet addresses, are unchanged. Probably, all these scam sites are managed by a single team of scoundrels.
Cryptocurrency Scam Summary
Website | Vkevex.com |
Hosting | AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc. United States, San Francisco |
IP Address | 172.67.208.139 |
Threat Type | Scam/Fraud |
Scam Type | Fraudulent offers of cryptocurrency services |
How the Vkevex Scam Works?
Vkevex is a part of a extensive cryptocurrency scam scheme that started circulating actively in 2023. Rascals who stand behind it use numerous website designs, which still share the same overall layout. Another mutual 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 complex psychological tricks that make the user believe in the legitimacy of the website. But let’s review them one by one.
Step 1: Promotion
To begin the scam, criminals establish and fill accounts on well-liked social media platforms. They primarily target Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Subsequently, the advertising campaign commences. Using bots and paid ads (when feasible), fraud actors intensify the visibility of their fraudulent activities to possible victims. And as I said, crooks do not shy away using deepfake for creating videos with the mentioned celebrities that promote their scam to the public. To boost the folks even more, frauds claim the bonus for every user who registers the service immediately.
Users get a stimulus to register, attracted by the promise of receiving crypto benefits valued at thousands of dollars, all without cost. To augment the appeal of the offer, fake suggestions of cooperation with a celebrity are incorporated. As you may guess, these claims are entirely baseless.
Step 2: Gaining Traffic
Upon clicking the promos, users end up on a page filled with enticing offers. “Crypto starts with Vkevex”, “Your crypto savings are secured with Vkevex, “Start earning with Vkevex – they look rather reliable. To heat up users and make them proceed to step 3, fraudsters say that retrieving the pledged bonus requires registration. And since nothing suspicious happens at this point, unaware users happily proceed – especially since the bonus appears to be right behind the corner.
This is the last stage when it is possible to skip the scam without any losses. Before you sign up using your personal info, rascals will not earn even a penny from your presence on the website.
Step 3: Data Gathering
This is the starting poing of the main fraud action. As I just said, scammers bait folks into registration to get bonuses. And all the personal info needed for it – email, username, crypto wallet address – are valuable for user identification. Only by gathering this info and selling it further into the Darknet, swindlers can earn quite a penny. Still, their plans go much further.
As it turns out, the alleged bonus is not available to use right away. To make it at least usable for crypto purchases, you need to top up the account with the sum of a bonus. At this point, the final stage of the scam begins.
Step 4: Requesting funds
Obviously, any crypto operations require you to have capital on your account. With Vkevex, users are also coerced to top up to get the bonuses. And this is what creates most of the cash flow to this fraudulent site. By topping up the account, users hope to get the promised gift (usually $500-1000 in USDT), and may start engaging on this website hoping to use all the credited funds and withdraw them.
This is where the victim notices the issues. When keeping an eye on the actual cryptocurrency wallet vs what the site says, you can observe that no transactions are done whatsoever. And then, when you’d try to pull out the capital from your account, the scam is finally uncovered to the user.
Step 5: Escaping from Funds Withdrawal
Needless to say that swindlers have zero intentions to send you money. But to make it look more legitimate, they’ve crafted a whole bunch of reasons to decline the wireout request. Usually, they repeat what Know Your Client regulations say, but for the Vkevex.com they are here exclusively to make the wireout impossible.
By requesting your personal information, deceivers just stall hoping for you to understand that you’ve been scammed and stop contacting them. If you don’t – well, there are multiple other checks you would desperately need to undergo before getting your grand back. And each of these checks will share more and more information, 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 Vkevex.com. Actually, there are a lot of scams that fall under the same points, so they are pretty much universal.
- Absent company details. Vkevex 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 Vkevex 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 Vkevex, 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 Vkevex is a definite scam.
What Should I do as a Victim?
If you had to deal with Vkevex 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 duration of the scam, fraudsters may reach out to you with particular documents. Alternatively, they may suggest you to install “cryptocurrency wallet applications” or “browser extensions” to facilitate access to your crypto savings. As we already determined, these rascals have no intention of giving back your capital. So, what can these email messages and browser add-ons represent? Correct – this is another component of the fraudulent scheme designed to entice you into willingly installing malicious software onto your computer.
Both extensions and attachments attached to emails can function as a shell for diverse malware. In this scenario, I anticipate the presence of spyware and stealers among all kinds of malicious programs. While it is not obligatory for scammers to distribute malware, the chance is always greater than zero. As previously mentioned, their conscience is of little concern, and their dignity is already seriously marred. They have nothing to lose and aim to boost gains.
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Frequently asked questions
The vast majority of information posted on the Vkevex site is false. It is either fabricated, or a manipulation that misses the context of mentioned events. However, things like quotes or other interactive elements related to current prices may be trustworthy. But I would rather avoid using them as a primary source of information.
No, there is no legitimate information on the Vkevex site. The operators of this site use fabricated details and deceptive tactics to create an appearance of credibility, such as appealing visuals and claims of being a licensed company. However, these claims are false, and the site is part of a larger network of interconnected crypto scam sites designed to defraud victims. The scammers manipulate users into providing sensitive personal information and making deposits, ultimately leading to the loss of funds.
Unfortunately, recovering funds lost to a scam like Vkevex can be extremely challenging, if not impossible. Scammers often operate from obscure locations and use various tactics to cover their tracks, making it difficult to trace or retrieve the stolen funds. In many cases, these scams are designed to exploit victims and disappear once they have obtained the money.
Spotting crypto trading scams requires vigilance and a critical eye. Here are some tips to help you identify potential crypto trading scams in the future:
- Verify Regulation and Licensing. Before proceeding, ensure that the platform or service is regulated and possesses the necessary licenses from relevant authorities. Scammers often operate without proper authorization.
- Resist Urgency. Be cautious of tactics that create a false sense of urgency to pressure you into quick decisions. Legitimate investments provide ample time for research and consideration.
- Consult Reviews and Feedback. Seek independent reviews and feedback from other traders. While positive reviews can be fabricated, negative reviews often reveal valuable insights.
- Question Unrealistic Promises. Approach offers with unrealistically high returns or guaranteed profits skeptically. If an investment opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Scrutinize Celebrity Endorsements. Exercise skepticism when faced with endorsements from celebrities or public figures. Scammers frequently create fake endorsements to enhance credibility.
If you have become a victim of a Vkevex or similar crypto trading scam, it’s important to take immediate action to minimize further damage and increase the chances of recovering your losses. Here’s what you should do:
- Notify Cryptocurrency Exchanges. Should you have employed a cryptocurrency exchange for transactions linked to the scam, inform the exchange about the fraudulent activity. In certain cases, they could extend their assistance.
- Contact Financial Institutions. If you conducted any payments or deposits through your credit card or bank account, promptly notify your financial institution. They might offer assistance in contesting transactions or initiating chargebacks.
- Thoroughly Document. Gather and safeguard all pertinent information, including emails, screenshots, transaction records, and any correspondence with the scammers. This documentation holds utmost importance for reporting the scam and seeking assistance.
- Immediately Halt Communication. Once you recognize that you have fallen victim to a scam, cease all communication with the scammers. Refrain from responding to their emails, messages, or phone calls.
- Seek Legal Advice. Consult with a legal professional who specializes in fraud or financial matters. They can provide advice on potential legal actions you can take to recover your funds.
- Consult Legal Counsel. Seek counsel from a legal expert specialized in fraud or financial matters. They can provide guidance on potential legal avenues for recovering your funds.
- Inform the Authorities. Lodge an official report with your local law enforcement agency and relevant regulatory bodies within your country. Present them with the amassed evidence. This step instigates investigations and enhances awareness about the scam.