Rapid7 Discloses Crypto Phishing Operation: Targets 885,000 Phone Numbers, Involves 5,576 Binance Accounts

Cybersecurity firm Rapid7 has disclosed a crypto phishing operation named Operation Asterix, targeting approximately 885,000 phone numbers across multiple countries and directing victims to fake wallet service websites. A total of 5,576 phone numbers have been matched to Binance user accounts and placed in the attack queue. Attackers stole recovery phrases via fake applications impersonating Ledger, Trezor, and Exodus, while also using fraudulent customer support emails and phone calls to contact victims. Rapid7 also found that among over 316,000 phone numbers in Germany, 43,066 matched crypto trading accounts, a hit rate of approximately 13.6%. The related attacks also included a bulk phone number verification tool targeting Kraken accounts, with the investigation revealing heavy use of AI tools in the phishing operation. Data from blockchain security firm Hacken shows that phishing attacks and social engineering scams caused $306 million in losses in the first quarter of this year, accounting for the majority of the $482 million total losses in the crypto industry.