At least two unique victims have paid hundreds of dollars in bitcoin and ether to these convicts and reached CoinDesk just subsequent to acknowledging that something wasn't right.
Thus CoinDesk makes it explicitly clear through an announcement that the news site doesn't, and will never, accept payment for coverage. They cautioned their users by informing them that in the event that they are being reached out by somebody professing to be one of CoinDesk's reporters on Telegram or LinkedIn, and that individual requests payment, then they should know that the account connecting to them is a fraud and should report it to the concerned social media platform right away, and to CoinDesk immediately, by emailing fraud@coindesk.com.
If possible, it would be ideal if the users could incorporate screenshots of what was written. On the off chance that the user has to affirm that they are, indeed, in contact with a CoinDesk staff member they are welcomed to at email news@coindesk.com.
Now that CoinDesk has been ensnared in various scams, they wish to clarify what is being done and how. Most of the victims are said to have received a Telegram message like this one:
This to and fro between the scammer and the news editor is generally well disposed and, in certain nations where associations regularly pay for news coverage, 'expected'.
The opportunity is straightforward and simple: Send the scammer $500 or so in bitcoin and get onto CoinDesk's front page.
There is typically some 'to and fro' and a portion of these scammers have come 'sophisticated' to the point that they are mocking CoinDesk email addresses to "confirm" their identities. One 'con-artist' even forged a CoinDesk editor's passport to "confirm" their identity.
Hence, CoinDesk advises its users that it's working with the new site's legal counsel and tech group to discover ways for impeding these impostors and in the meanwhile, requests the users to kindly verify the handles of the accounts contacting them.
The clients can likewise email the writer or the editor directly in the event that they have any inquiries.
