Cybercriminals used Google Ads to steal $500k worth of cryptocurrency: Here’s how to stay safe

A new scam has come to light, where cybercriminals are using Google Ads to steal cryptocurrency wallets. Scammers are placing ads at the top of Google Search that imitates popular wallet brands, such as Phantom and MetaMask, to trick users into giving up their crypto wallet passphrase and private key, research by Check Point Research (CPR) reveals.

CPR, in its blogpost notes that to lure their victims, scammers placed Google Ads at the top of Google Search that imitated popular wallets and platforms. The company estimates that over $500k worth of crypto was stolen in a matter of days.