Brooklyn District Attorney Shuts Down 40 NFT Scam Websites After Artist Loses $135,000

Scam Targeting Artist

Artist Falls Victim to Impersonator

An 85-year-old artist fell prey to a scam after an impersonator posing as an art dealer convinced him to mint his artwork on a fake NFT marketplace resembling New York’s OpenSea.

Promise of False Profit

The victim was duped into believing he had made a profit of $300,000, but in order to withdraw the funds, he was required to pay a hefty “fee” of $135,000.

Counterfeit OpenSea Website

Links to Nigerian Sources

The counterfeit OpenSea website that was used in the scam is believed to have ties to Nigerian sources, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office.

Wallet Recovery Phrases Scam

Some of the fraudulent websites prompted visitors to enter their cryptocurrency wallet recovery phrases, potentially allowing scammers to drain the contents of users’ online wallets.

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