Scammers are exploiting Donald Trump’s fame and reputation to run an elaborate crypto scam involving fake “Trump Cards” non-fungible tokens (NFTs). By creating fake websites and running false advertisements on social media, these con artists are tricking people into connecting their crypto wallets which allows the scammers to drain all the funds. This article will provide an in-depth look at how this scam works, things to watch out for, and most importantly, what to do if you lost money to this or a similar crypto scam.
Overview of the Fake Trump Cards Crypto Scam
This intricate scam works by taking advantage of Donald Trump’s globally-recognizable profile and reputation. Scammers create fake websites, social media profiles and run online ads showcasing “limited edition” Trump NFT trading cards.
The ads and fake sites use images of Trump along with limited time offers to create a sense of urgency and exclusivity. Their goal is to convince potential victims that these are officially licensed digital collectibles endorsed by Trump himself. However, in reality, neither Trump nor his organization has any association with these fake Trump NFT cards being advertised and sold by scammers.
Once scammers manage to drive traffic to their fake sites, the pages showcase ridiculously amazing prizes ranging from signed memorabilia to dinner with Trump himself. Visitors are told that each Trump card purchase enters them into sweepstakes drawings for these incredible prizes.
Of course, these prizes and sweepstakes don’t actually exist. They are only being used as bait to convince victims to connect their crypto wallets in order to “purchase” the fake Trump cards. As soon as people connect their wallets, scammers can drain the entire wallet contents.
Trump Cards: Legitimate vs Fake
While scammers are running rampant with fake Trump card collections, there are legitimate officially licensed digital collectibles endorsed by Donald Trump. These are sold exclusively via the official platform located at:
collecttrumpcards.comThis official site launched by NFT INT LLC in 2021 offers serialized Trump NFT trading cards along with real world utility like autographed physical cards. Certain high value serial numbers also come with additional perks similar to the fake scam offers.
However what sets the real https://collecttrumpcards.com apart from the elaborate Trump NFT fake sites:
- Authenticated collections with blue checkmark
- Long-standing web domain since 2021 launch
- Clearly stated terms without pressure tactics
- Availability on legitimate NFT marketplaces
- Trump’s direct involvement via signatures, licenses
- Support staff that can be directly contacted
So while scammers are leveraging Trump’s brand illegally to fleece unsuspecting victims, there are legitimate collectibles endorsed by Trump himself sold only via collecttrumpcards.com.
The crucial difference is verified authenticity, staff accountability and an ethical approach focused on providing real value to collectors rather than deceiving people through unrealistic prize claims.
How the Fake Trump Card Crypto Scam Works
Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how these scammers are able to successfully steal crypto from unsuspecting victims leveraging Trump’s fame:
Step 1: Creating Fake Sites & Running Online Ads
The scammers begin by registering lookalike domains featuring Trump’s name like trumptnfts.net, trumptnfts.app etc. They create fake sites on these domains advertising “limited edition” Donald Trump NFT trading cards. The site designs, branding and language is made to convince site visitors that these cards are officially associated with Trump.
In addition to the fake sites, scammers also run ads on social networks like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. These ads showcase unique “Hero Trump Cards” that people can purchase along with ridiculous prize offers for buyers. The goal here is to direct as much traffic to their fake sites as possible.
Step 2: Fooling Visitors with Fake Prize Offers
When a victim lands on one of these fake Trump NFT sites from an ad or directly, they see amazing prizes ranging from signed memorabilia to chances of meeting Trump himself. These non-existent prizes like dinner with Trump, golf sessions, private Zoom calls are only mentioned to fool visitors.
Scammers know most people won’t be able verify if these prizes are real so they leverage absurd claims of giving buyers chances to meet Trump. This builds hype and convinces site visitors to make a purchase.
Step 3: Pushing Visitors to Connect Crypto Wallets
After viewing these amazing prize offers, site visitors are prompted to “Connect Wallet” in order to purchase the fake Trump cards. The sites even offer discounts if people purchase more cards or offer guaranteed dinner with Trump if someone buys a certain amount. All smart tactics to encourage visitors to connect wallets.
Once connected, scammers can view all coins, tokens and NFTs stored in that wallet. They patiently wait for victims to make a purchase at which point…
Step 4: Draining the Entire Wallet
As soon as an unsuspecting victim tries purchasing any amount of the fake Trump NFT cards, scammers drain everything in that wallet. Being connected allows them full access to steal not just the intended purchase amount but every single crypto asset and NFT stored in it.
Within minutes, victims lose their entire crypto savings including coins like Ethereum which scammers immediately cash out. The fake sites vanish soon leaving people without any way to recover their money.
This is why it’s extremely risky to connect your wallet to any unknown site advertising NFTs or other crypto-related products. As we’ll cover next, there are ways to avoid falling prey to such scams.
What to Do If You Lost Money to the Fake Trump Card Crypto Scam
If you connected your wallet and lost crypto to the fake Trump cards scam, here are a few things you should do immediately:
- Report Fraud: Report the scam website, social media profile and associated wallet addresses to crypto fraud monitoring services like CryptoScamDB.org. Also file complaints with the FTC and IC3.
- Secure Remaining Assets: If you still have crypto remaining in that wallet or on the connected exchange account, immediately transfer it to a brand new secure wallet.
- Change Passwords: Change login credentials for the compromised wallet, connected email accounts, crypto exchange account etc. Enable 2-factor authentication wherever possible.
- Notify Contacts: Let any contacts know to not trust messages coming from your compromised accounts. Scammers sometimes use stolen accounts to target more people.
Unfortunately, recovering the stolen crypto itself can be very difficult especially if scammers already cashed out through decentralized exchanges. But authorities can use fraud reports to track the scammers, salvage some funds and prevent further losses from the same crooks.
How to Identify Fake Crypto Sites & Ads Promoting Trump NFT Cards
Here are some warning signs that can help you identify scammer ads and fake sites associated with the fraudulent Trump cards scam:
- Too Good to Be True Prizes: Offers like private dinner, golfing with Trump seem over the top. It’s highly unlikely Trump is directly providing such exclusive meetups to random NFT buyers.
- Request Wallet Connection: No legitimate platform will ask you to immediately connect crypto wallet to view or purchase products. High pressure tactics to connect wallets is a red flag.
- Poor Writing/Design: Fake sites have grammatical errors, clumsy designs lacking professional polish. Sometimes vision impairing elements are added intentionally.
- New Domains: Scam sites use new domains often registered weeks ago for running this short scam. Legitimate businesses have older domain registration histories.
- No Verifiable Address or Support: Check if site provides a real world address, customer support channels beyond an email form. Lack of an address or human support indicates likely fraud.
- No Social Media Presence: Scam entities lack any meaningful social media history or community engagement. Check Twitter, Facebook for real comments from real people over a long period.
Stay vigilant for these telltale warning markers before trusting any site or ad offering Trump NFT cards regardless of how tempting the prizes may seem.
Protecting Yourself from Fake Crypto NFT Scams
Here are some tips to avoid falling victim to fake Trump card NFT scams:
- Verify Domain Age: Research NFT site domains on Whois.com to see when they were registered. Newly registered ones are very risky.
- Check Collection Verification: Legitimate NFT collections are verified on marketplaces like OpenSea. Click verification badge to confirm authenticity.
- Avoid Random Referral Links: Don’t trust random crypto links sent via email, messaging apps or posted in chat groups. Manually type site URLs after verifying legitimacy.
- Enable Address Whitelisting: Use wallet address whitelisting options to restrict transactions only to addresses you manually approve.
- Review Contract Code: If buying directly via contract, review full code yourself or use tools like Honeypot.is to detect fraud triggers.
Staying cautious and employing these tips would help guard against not only fake Trump NFT scams but also other types of crypto fraud using phishing sites or malware downloads.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Fake Trump Cards Crypto Scam
Wondering if those Trump NFT ads are real or fake? Concerned about connecting your wallet to purchase the cards? This FAQ has answers to the most common questions regarding this prolific scam.
What exactly is the Fake Trump Cards crypto scam?
This is an elaborate cryptocurrency scam where fraudsters create fake websites and run online ads promoting non-existent Trump-branded NFT trading cards. By faking endorsements and baiting with exclusive prizes, they trick victims into connecting crypto wallets which allows the scammers to steal funds.
Are the Trump NFT ads I see on social media real or fake?
Most likely fake. Scammers are running rampant with ads on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok promoting Trump NFT trading cards with amazing prizes like meeting Trump himself. These ads direct to fake sites where you’ll be asked to connect your crypto wallet, allowing them to drain your funds.
How can I identify fake Trump NFT card offers?
Warning signs include too good to be true prizes, requests to immediately connect wallet, poor site quality, newly registered domains, no real world addresses or lack of online community. Prioritize safety over excitement – verify legitimacy on places like OpenSea before purchasing celebrity NFTs.
Are there any officially licensed Trump NFT trading cards?
Yes there are legitimate Trump digital collectibles sold exclusively through collecttrumpcards.com. Unlike the elaborate fake Trump NFT scam sites, this official platform offers authenticated NFTs endorsed directly by Trump himself. Certain high value serial numbers also come with real world rewards.
Is it safe to connect my crypto wallet to collecttrumpcards.com?
Exercising caution is always wise, but collectTrumpCards.com has so far proven to be a legitimate platform started in 2021 for selling licensed Trump NFTs. Still, best practices are to always verify sites thoroughly yourself before connecting wallets.
I lost money to the fake Trump NFT scam. What should I do now?
If you connected your wallet and lost crypto funds, first steps are:
- Report the fraud to authorities like FTC/IC3 and crypto scam databases
- Move any remaining crypto from compromised wallet to a brand new secure wallet
- Notify contacts to not trust messages from compromised accounts
- Monitor your wallet addresses for any activity using blockchain explorers
How can I avoid falling for the fake Trump NFT scam?
Safely navigating crypto scams requires proactive steps like:
- Manually checking site domain age on Whois.com
- Verifying collections on OpenSea before purchasing
- Enabling address whitelisting on wallet
- Avoiding random referral links and chat promotions
Staying vigilant is key – take time to thoroughly vet offers, sites and collections before connecting wallets. Prioritize safety over hype or fear of missing out.
The Bottom Line
In summary, scammers are exploiting Trump’s fame plus crypto hype to run fake “Trump Card” sites that bait victims by promising unbelievable prizes. They trick visitors into connecting wallets allowing them to steal funds worth thousands of dollars.
Identifying these fake offers early on and taking steps to safely purchase only verified collectibles can help you avoid such devastating losses. While collecting famous personalities like Trump as NFTs seems exciting, don’t let scammers dupe you by using names and images without consent.
Employ the knowledge and prevention tips outlined throughout this article to steely yourself against all types of crypto fraud as we move towards mass adoption. With some vigilance, you can safely participate and enjoy what this powerful technology has to offer.
