The connect-wallet prompt is the tell on a fake AML screening site

Fake anti money laundering screening websites are stealing from crypto investors.

These websites prompt users to connect a wallet and sign a transaction, which is not required for any genuine wallet check. Malwarebytes discovered the attack this week.

Real wallet screening needs only the public address

Banks and regulated firms have to check under anti-money laundering rules that their customers have no links to crime.

In crypto, that screening means looking at a wallet address’s public transaction history for contact with hacks, thefts, sanctioned parties, or other suspicious activity.

The fraudulent sites take that idea and turn it into a weapon, according to Malwarebytes researcher Stefan Dasic.

Some copy the branding of AMLBot, a legitimate screening service. Others run under generic names like “AML Check.”

A visitor picks a cryptocurrency, clicks to scan it, and is asked to connect a wallet to see the result.

One version that Malwarebytes examined displays a progress bar with messages like “Checking wallet history…” and “Verifying compliance…” before displaying a fake error that asks for a small top-up to “cover the fee.”

… Continue reading the full article at the original source below.