Chinese AI company DeepSeek has quickly risen to prominence with its free chatbot app, "DeepSeek - AI Assistant," which became the most downloaded app on the iOS App Store in the U.S. as of January 2025. However, this success has also made it a target for cybercriminals, who are leveraging its reputation for phishing attacks, cryptocurrency scams, and malware distribution.
Investigations have uncovered fraudulent websites impersonating DeepSeek, tricking users into compromising their crypto wallets. These sites, such as abs-register[.]com and deep-whitelist[.]com, lure victims by asking them to scan QR codes or connect their wallets via deceptive interfaces.
Scammers are also capitalizing on DeepSeek’s name to promote fake investment schemes. One such domain, deepseek-shares[.]com, falsely claims to offer pre-IPO shares of DeepSeek, even though the company remains privately held with no announced IPO plans.
Additionally, malware campaigns linked to DeepSeek-themed scams are on the rise. Fraudulent websites posing as official download pages are distributing malicious software, such as AMOS Stealer, designed to steal personal data.
How to Stay Safe
To protect against these threats, users should:
✔ Download DeepSeek only from official sources (App Store, Google Play or official website).
✔ Avoid third-party sites claiming to offer exclusive DeepSeek-related services.
✔ Be cautious with QR codes and crypto-related requests, as they are commonly used in scams.
✔ Ignore investment offers related to DeepSeek, as the company has no public stock offering.
✔ Use security software to detect potential malware.
As DeepSeek’s popularity continues to grow, staying vigilant against emerging cyber threats is crucial for ensuring personal and financial security.