Monad co-founder Keone Hon has issued a stern warning to the project's community regarding a sophisticated scam involving fake advertisements on Telegram. These deceptive ads, designed to mimic the official Monad claim portal, appeared within the project's official announcement channel just days before a highly anticipated airdrop. Hon urged users to exercise extreme caution and verify all information before taking any action.
Key Takeaways
-
Scammers have infiltrated Monad's official Telegram channel with fake ads impersonating the airdrop claim portal.
-
Monad co-founder Keone Hon advises users to avoid clicking on any ads within the channel and to always triple-verify information.
-
The fake ads exploit the surge in user attention ahead of the airdrop, aiming to trick users into phishing sites.
-
The official claim portal is claim.monad.xyz and will remain open for three weeks, emphasizing no need for urgent action.
-
The incident highlights potential vulnerabilities in Telegram's ad vetting process.
Telegram Ad Scam Uncovered
Malicious actors have targeted Monad's official Telegram channel by purchasing advertisements that closely resemble the project's upcoming airdrop claim portal. Monad co-founder Keone Hon took to X (formerly Twitter) to alert the community, expressing disbelief that Telegram would allow content from external advertisers to appear directly within a channel typically reserved for official project updates. These ads were strategically placed to capitalize on the heightened user interest surrounding the impending airdrop.
Airdrop Amidst Deception
The fraudulent advertisements surfaced just before Monad's much-anticipated airdrop, scheduled to commence at 1:00 PM UTC on Tuesday. Scammers are attempting to leverage the increased attention to lure users to fake websites, potentially leading to the loss of personal information or cryptocurrency. Hon stressed that there is no need to rush, as the official claim portal will be accessible for three weeks. He strongly advised users to "do not act with urgency, and always triple-verify before doing anything." The only legitimate claim portal is claim.monad.xyz.
Monad
Telegram's Ad Policies Under Scrutiny
This incident has brought Telegram's advertising policies and enforcement mechanisms under renewed scrutiny. Despite having rules against deceptive advertising, phishing, and the promotion of harmful financial products, the platform appears to have allowed these malicious ads to infiltrate Monad's official channel. The situation underscores a potential gap between Telegram's stated policies and its ability to effectively prevent such scams, raising concerns about the platform's cybersecurity measures for its users, particularly within the crypto community.
Anticipation for Monad's Launch
Despite the scam alert, anticipation for Monad's mainnet debut and token generation event remains high. The yet-to-be-launched MON token is already trading on Hyperliquid's perpetual futures market at approximately $0.07, indicating a fully diluted valuation of around $7 billion. Monad is a layer-1 blockchain designed for EVM compatibility, aiming to significantly enhance scalability and transaction throughput with claims of processing up to 10,000 transactions per second through parallel execution.
Sources
-
Scammers Exploit Telegram Ads To Mimic Monad Claim Portal, Cointelegraph.
-
Monad co-founder flags Telegram ad scam ahead of airdrop, Cryptopolitan.
-
Blockchain News: Monad Co-Founder Sounds Alarm on Telegram Ad Scam Ahead of Airdrop, Live Bitcoin News.
-
Monad co-founder flags Telegram ad scam in official channel ahead of airdrop, Crypto Adventure.
-
Monad Co-Founder Warns of Fake Telegram Ads Before Airdrop, The Crypto Times.
This article was created with support from AI-driven technology, drawing on multiple reputable sources. The final content has been thoroughly reviewed and edited by BlockzHub's editorial team to ensure accuracy, clarity, and coherence. Original reporting sources are credited whenever appropriate and as required. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the official views or positions of BlockzHub. This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or professional advice. Investing involves risk, and you should consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.