Cybercriminals register Libra and Calibra-resembling domains; some scams already active

Following the announcement of Facebook’s cryptocurrency Libra and the Calibra wallet, cybercriminals have begun registering ersatz domains resembling the originals, Digital Shadows research shows. The registrations peaked around the announcement date for both Libra and Calibra.

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Libra saw the registrations multiply on June 18, growing from approximately 20 the day before the announcement to more than 110 the next day. 

Most of the domains are not hosting content; buyers are most likely domain squatters hoping to make a profit from the buyback. The acquired domains—even if they won’t ever be used by Libra—could still redirect users to the legitimate Libra website.

However, some of the registrations are more sinister in nature—aiming to impersonate official Libra and Calibra websites, some of them promoting scams. One such scam advertises itself as a Libra ICO and offers a deal on acquiring Libra tokens for Ether and raised a total of 0.2 Ether.