Due to the immense popularity of Hamster Kombat how to play, scammers have found ways to hijack accounts. The Telegram bot, Hamster Kombat, has attracted over 150 million users since March 2024, drawing the attention of fraudsters. These scammers have devised several schemes to exploit the excitement around the game, particularly targeting Russian users.

Hamster Kombat is a widely popular game in Russia where players click on a hamster to earn coins. Scammers have taken advantage of this popularity by creating various deceptive schemes aimed at tricking players out of their money.

Referral Invitation Scams

According to the game's rules, players can invite friends and receive bonuses. Scammers exploit this by offering referrals for 50 rubles each. Initially, everything appears to work as the user buys a few referrals. However, when they order more and send a larger amount, the scammers vanish with the money.

Eugene Gryaznov, a product manager at R-Vision, explains that this scheme also poses another risk. Users might be directed to other websites or bots that can steal their card details, leading to potential financial losses.

Account Hijacking

Scammers may direct users to third-party sites under various pretexts. For instance, they might claim that an account could be blocked due to excessive referral additions. To "confirm" their Telegram account, users are asked to enter their details on these sites, making their profiles vulnerable to theft.

Experts warn that many users integrate wallets into the bot for future withdrawals, which can also be compromised, leading to the loss of both the account and the money.

Autoclick Applications

The core mechanic of the game, "tapping the hamster," has led many users to seek out autoclick applications. These apps, when installed on a smartphone, can steal personal data. Online platforms offering autoclick services often request Telegram account details to start, which increases the risk of account hijacking.

Fake Invitations

The bot's popularity has driven many people to want to try it. Scammers take advantage of this by sending fake links to the bot. These links lead to phishing pages where users are prompted to enter their Telegram account details, resulting in their accounts being stolen.

In addition to financial risks, Hamster Kombat poses psychological dangers. Psychiatrist Chesnokov has discussed these risks in more detail here.