NFTs are unique digital collectibles. The most well-known NFTs are Bored Apes, which are now worth millions. Recently, some NFT owners were tricked out of millions of euros with a simple trick.
What kind of project is this? Bored and Mutant Apes are among the most well-known NFT projects. Users invest in small images of monkeys secured over the blockchain. Whoever buys such a monkey is invited to exclusive events and gatherings (via boredapeyachtclub.com).
However, the well-known NFT project has now been hacked, and numerous users have collectively lost millions of euros. They fell victim to a simple fraud scheme.
Fraudsters hack Discord and Instagram account
What exactly happened? The fraudsters gained access to the official Instagram account and Discord of Bored Ape Yacht Club through unknown methods. Subsequently, the hackers posted a link on the official channels, through which one could supposedly secure their NFTs.
But instead of securing their NFTs, the digital monkeys were transferred to the fraudsters. The seemingly harmless link is said to have left former owners around 3 million euros poorer.
In the meantime, the official developers have also posted a statement. Here they warn all users not to click on any links and highlight the hack:
In a statement, the developers explain what exactly has been lost. Overall, it amounts to 3 million US dollars, which is approximately 2.8 million euros:
We are still investigating. Roughly estimated, the losses from the fraud amount to 4 Bored Apes, 6 Mutant Apes, and 3 BAKC as well as various other NFTs with a total value of about 3 million dollars. We are actively working to contact the affected users.
(via vice.com)
Why are the monkeys so famous? Bored and Mutant Apes belong to the major and well-known projects because stars also invest in this project. Well-known figures like NBA player Stephen Curry or musician Eminem have already invested six-figure dollar amounts in the monkey project (via businessinsider.com).
NFTs now play a big role in gaming
Many developers are now relying on NFTs in their games. For instance, a new MMORPG with NFTs has already raised over 40 million euros before release. This also shows that gamers are willing to invest money in such digital collectibles.
There are already games where “Play-2-Earn” plays a major role: People can earn money by grinding NFTs. In poorer countries, entire families support themselves through such systems.
This is not the first time that individuals have lost large amounts of money through fraud in NFTs. Many users had invested a lot of money in virtual NFT monkeys. However, the entire endeavor turned out to be a scam. The developers are said to have fled with the millions.
People invest fortunes in virtual NFT monkeys – developers scam them out of 2.3 million €
