Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  Over the past year, Uzbekistan has seen a noticeable increase in complaints about financial fraud.

People are deceived in various ways: some have money stolen from their bank cards, others have loans taken out without their knowledge, while Telegram bots offer “instant loans” requiring an upfront “fee.”

These methods are familiar to most. But today, scammers are taking it further: they are applying the same social engineering principles to digital assets. This does not make cryptocurrency inherently dangerous, but it serves as a reminder that caution is needed in any financial environment — whether it’s a bank, lending institution, or crypto platform.

The New Scheme: Calls Posing as Support

Fraudsters make calls pretending to be support staff. The voice sounds confident, and the number may appear “official.” Using the pretext of urgent “security updates,” victims are persuaded to change their API settings. In reality, these changes give scammers access to funds.

Essentially, it’s the same scheme as fake loans: the victim’s trust is exploited as the main resource.

How the Scheme Works

The call appears convincing: the number seems official, the voice is professional, and the language is insistent. Users are informed of a supposed “security threat” and urged to immediately modify API keys. These changes activate functions that allow funds to be withdrawn.

The key feature of this scheme is exploiting trust. Victims believe they are taking steps to secure their account, while in fact, they are giving scammers control over their wallet.

Why This Is Dangerous

The API is a core tool for crypto traders, used to automate trades and manage accounts. Manipulating its settings gives criminals near-complete control over funds. At first glance, the changes seem harmless, bypassing standard security checks.

Complaints are already appearing on social media: some users lost a few hundred USDT, others lost thousands. Along with financial losses, victims often experience emotional distress, feeling deceived while believing they were enhancing security.

Why Attacks Are Becoming Widespread

Experts note that the surge in calls occurred at the end of July — a period of high market activity. Attention was focused on trading opportunities rather than security threats, which scammers exploited.

How to Protect Yourself

Binance security experts recommend the following:

• Use two-factor authentication and hardware keys whenever possible;
• Set up a passkey — a protection method resistant to phishing;
• Never change API settings due to a call or message;
• Regularly review transaction history and account logins;
• At the slightest suspicion, change passwords and revoke access keys.

Experience shows that victims are often vulnerable due to lack of information. Increasing financial and crypto literacy is the best defense. Educational blogs and resources like Binance Academy regularly analyze real fraud schemes and methods to recognize them. Studying these materials helps distinguish official communications from scams and avoid costly mistakes.

Conclusion

The “support call” scenario is just one example of how social engineering has become the primary tool for crypto scammers. The technological part of the attack is minimal; the bet is on trust.

Users should remember a simple rule: no serious platform will ever ask you to change security settings over the phone.

Vigilance remains the best way to protect assets in a world where digital attacks are growing increasingly sophisticated.