Less than two months after Donald Trump returned to office, scammers began targeting supporters who purchased memorabilia to support his campaign.
How the scams work
According to Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at ESET, these scams are effective because they exploit psychological triggers. An example from Alabama shows how a woman was tricked into providing photos of memorabilia for a $13 million rebate, paying over $152,000 in transaction fees in cryptocurrency. The funds went to the scammers, and the woman never received the rebate.
More scams targeting Trump fans
Several scams continue to target Trump fans across major platforms. Accounts on Telegram and X (formerly Twitter) promise to help people make money from Trump-themed products. Scammers claim to assist victims who have been scammed and offer to monetize presidential memorabilia.
Warnings and countermeasures
Telegram has asserted their daily removal of millions of harmful content pieces. Jake Moore urges thorough investigation before engaging with such offers. The Trump team has only given back to supporters by airdropping $TRUMP tokens as compensation.
Fraud schemes targeting Donald Trump supporters continue to proliferate. Public awareness and proactive countermeasures can help address this issue.
