Cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes has identified a new scam involving an illegal or “cracked” version of TradingView Premium. TradingView is a widely used platform among investors for analyzing financial charts and tracking market trends. This fake version, primarily distributed on forums like Reddit, conceals two dangerous malware programs: Lumma Stealer and Atomic Stealer. These malicious programs are designed to steal personal data, particularly cryptocurrency wallet information and passwords.
Cybercriminals post links offering the “TradingView Premium Cracked” software for free and even assist users with the installation process, increasing the victims’ trust. Many users have suffered significant losses, and scammers have used their identities to spread malicious links among their contacts.
A Well-Designed Scam That Easily Deceives Users
The scheme identified by Malwarebytes exploits the popularity of TradingView Premium, which offers advanced features to help investors make financial decisions. These include interactive charts and technical indicators, such as the RSI (Relative Strength Index, a metric used to assess whether an asset is overbought or oversold).
Reddit Post Offering the Cracked TradingView: Malwarebytes
Lumma Stealer, first detected in 2022, specifically targets digital wallets and browser extensions that provide two-factor authentication (2FA)—a security feature requiring an additional code to access online accounts. Atomic Stealer, discovered in April 2023, captures sensitive data, including administrator passwords.
Jerome Segura, a senior researcher at Malwarebytes, recently explained that scammers have been acting in a highly sophisticated manner. He emphasized that the most concerning aspect is the direct interaction between cybercriminals and potential victims.
“The criminal often participates in forums, helping victims download the malicious software and even resolving technical issues to maintain their trust,” Segura stated.
How to Avoid Falling Victim to This TradingView Scam
Experts recommend paying attention to common signs of digital fraud. Malicious files often require users to disable antivirus programs and are protected by passwords—features uncommon in legitimate software. Additionally, these files are frequently compressed twice with extra passwords, a clear red flag for fraud.
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Chainalysis, a company specializing in cryptocurrency transaction analysis, recently reported in its annual review that crypto-related crimes are becoming increasingly sophisticated. In the past year alone, global losses from such scams reached approximately $51 billion. According to experts, software piracy scams continue to attract victims due to the false promise of free access to premium features.
Authorities and cybersecurity firms strongly emphasize that the best protection is to avoid pirated versions of financial software.