# The Cardano Foundation’s guidance for staying safe from sophisticated scams **URL:** \ **Category:** News and Announcements\ **Tags:** cardano, cardano-foundation, ada, community\ **Created:** [19 November 2020 16:25 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-cardano-foundation-s-guidance-for-staying-safe-from-sophisticated-scams/42293 "2020-11-19T16:25:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardano-Foundation](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/cardano-foundation/32/86489_2.png) [@Cardano-Foundation](https://forum.cardano.org/u/Cardano-Foundation)\ **Post date:** [19 November 2020 16:25 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-cardano-foundation-s-guidance-for-staying-safe-from-sophisticated-scams/42293/1 "2020-11-19T16:25:00Z")
## The Cardano Foundation’s guidance for staying safe from sophisticated scams ![CFLogo](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/uploads/cardano/original/3X/4/4/4483ce4a9ccbc710e7e7f474e3212211c6ec33d0.png) The Cardano Foundation reminds our valued community to remain extremely vigilant in light of a recent rise of fraudulent activity targeting ada holders. The level of sophistication involved in this most recent fraudulent scheme makes it incredibly difficult to detect. While our team works very hard to deplatform these sites we would like to share further details with you so you may avoid them. In the most recent scheme, bad actors have convincingly duplicated the [https://cardanofoundation.org/](https://cardanofoundation.org/) website in an attempt to promote a scam. This fake website, pictured below, attempts to lure users into joining a stake pool named ‘HyperPool’, which promises high rewards for participants. This stake pool does not exist, and the Cardano Foundation has absolutely no association with it. The Cardano Foundation will never run a stake pool. ![|614x329.5213946117274](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/uploads/cardano/original/3X/d/3/d340f4ca781c7da7dedf027f31ba9ce522ee4c8b.jpeg) Please always make sure you are visiting: [https://cardanofoundation.org/](https://cardanofoundation.org/). Do not simply rely on the SSL certificate padlock being present next to the URL, as fraudulent individuals can also implement a false SSL. The Cardano Foundation genuine SSL provider is Cloudflare, and we ask that you check this information as well as verifying the URL is correct before you use our site. To steal your funds, the signup link for the fake pool directs you to a duplicated version of the AdaLite wallet. The URL for the fake wallet uses the domain extension ‘.ORG’ instead of the real wallet which uses a ‘.IO’ domain ([https://adalite.io/](https://adalite.io/)). This fake wallet, pictured below, will then prompt you to connect your hardware wallet device, provide a Keystore file, or restore an ada wallet from your mnemonic phrase in order to join the pool. It is at this point your funds will be lost. ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/uploads/cardano/original/3X/3/e/3ea68323b95d4fe5a384f11ee53715be1e6dfd1b.png) We ask our community to be totally aware that any interaction with this fake wallet and stake pool will result in the total loss of your funds with no way to retrieve them. We cannot reverse transactions on the blockchain, and we cannot restore your lost funds should you attempt to interact with this fake wallet and stakepool. Please read on to find out how you can stay safe, and some general Cardano security rules to remember. ## Three golden rules for staying safe Please always remember these three golden rules, now and in the future: 1. No Cardano entity, either the Cardano Foundation, EMURGO, or IOHK, will EVER advertise a scheme where you to send funds of ada or any denomination to any address, entity, or individual; 2. No team member from any Cardano entity will ever ask you to send funds of ada or any denomination to any address, entity, or individual; 3. The Cardano Foundation does not and will never run a stakepool, and any pools advertising affiliation with the Cardano Foundation are unofficial and should be approached with caution. You can read more about unofficial giveaways and scams and how you can protect yourself from them [here](https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-stay-safe-content-updated/28037). Please find a complete list of our official channels and websites [here](https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-foundations-communique-on-unofficial-giveaways/35802). Thank you and stay vigilant, The Cardano Foundation ---
**Author:** ![RobJF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/robjf/32/8069_2.png) [@RobJF](https://forum.cardano.org/u/RobJF)\ **Post date:** [19 November 2020 18:17 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-cardano-foundation-s-guidance-for-staying-safe-from-sophisticated-scams/42293/2 "2020-11-19T18:17:52Z")
Just got a spam email, claiming to be from Coindesk, promoting this HyperPool scam. 😬 ---
**Author:** ![ScadaPlc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/scadaplc/32/21648_2.png) [@ScadaPlc](https://forum.cardano.org/u/ScadaPlc)\ **Post date:** [22 December 2020 23:37 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-cardano-foundation-s-guidance-for-staying-safe-from-sophisticated-scams/42293/3 "2020-12-22T23:37:48Z")
Surely the issue is that all likely, relevant domain extensions were NOT purchased. Do so, and lodge (US) ICANN complaints / FBI online scam reports. Stump up the $5K asap OR use US Federal Court. Such scammers will NOT want to appear in person. ---
**Author:** ![ScadaPlc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/scadaplc/32/21648_2.png) [@ScadaPlc](https://forum.cardano.org/u/ScadaPlc)\ **Post date:** [22 December 2020 23:40 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-cardano-foundation-s-guidance-for-staying-safe-from-sophisticated-scams/42293/4 "2020-12-22T23:40:31Z")
See Claude M Hilton (wayne-kerr) [Barcelona.Com](http://Barcelona.Com) on US Ct Appeals article on ‘arse-n-elbow’… a lawyer will tell you more… [BARCELONA.COM: el Ayuntamiento de Barcelona pierde el juicio, Bufet Almeida](https://www.bufetalmeida.com/79/barcelonacom-el-ayuntamiento-de-barcelona-pierde-el-juicio.html) ---
**Author:** ![RobJF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/robjf/32/8069_2.png) [@RobJF](https://forum.cardano.org/u/RobJF)\ **Post date:** [23 December 2020 09:08 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-cardano-foundation-s-guidance-for-staying-safe-from-sophisticated-scams/42293/6 "2020-12-23T09:08:06Z")
> [@ScadaPlc](#): > > Surely the issue is that all likely, relevant domain extensions were NOT purchased. The scammers use misspelling and fancy tricks with charsets, there is no way all possible variations could have been purchased. ---
**Author:** ![balderdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85e7bf/32.png) [@balderdash](https://forum.cardano.org/u/balderdash)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2021 17:29 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-cardano-foundation-s-guidance-for-staying-safe-from-sophisticated-scams/42293/8 "2021-02-15T17:29:26Z")
Please be very careful people, and mods please flag this website. [https://thecardanofoundation.io/en/news/staking-pool-launch/](https://thecardanofoundation.io/en/news/staking-pool-launch/) I take it there is literally no chance to recoup lost ADA? Seem to be a few companies online offering their services for bitcoin lost to scammers, but thinking they may be scammers too. ---
**Author:** ![ScadaPlc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/scadaplc/32/21648_2.png) [@ScadaPlc](https://forum.cardano.org/u/ScadaPlc)\ **Post date:** [3 October 2021 14:06 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-cardano-foundation-s-guidance-for-staying-safe-from-sophisticated-scams/42293/9 "2021-10-03T14:06:54Z")
If it is too good to be true… or spams you direct (how does it ‘know’ your email?) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/uploads/cardano/original/3X/3/4/34bba932518ca14b807df31f5ff119bb02df12ff.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Asmodeusz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/asmodeusz/32/43867_2.png) [@Asmodeusz](https://forum.cardano.org/u/Asmodeusz)\ **Post date:** [5 October 2021 09:00 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-cardano-foundation-s-guidance-for-staying-safe-from-sophisticated-scams/42293/10 "2021-10-05T09:00:19Z")
🇵🇱 For Polish translation, visit here: > [@poland Wskazówki Fundacji Cardano dotyczące ochrony przed wyrafinowanymi oszustwami](https://forum.cardano.org/t/wskazowki-fundacji-cardano-dotyczace-ochrony-przed-wyrafinowanymi-oszustwami/78140): > > Polskie tłumaczenie [The Cardano Foundation’s guidance for staying safe from sophisticated scams](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-cardano-foundation-s-guidance-for-staying-safe-from-sophisticated-scams/42293) opublikowanego przez @Cardano-Foundation 18 listopada 2020 roku. [CFLogo] Fundacja Cardano przypomina naszej cenionej społeczności, aby pozostała niezwykle czujna w świetle niedawnego wzrostu nieuczciwych działań wymierzonych w posiadaczy ADA. Poziom zaawansowania najnowszego oszukańczego schematu sprawia, że jest on niezwykle trudny do wykrycia. Chociaż nasz zespół bardzo ciężko pracuje nad rozwik…