• Nansen users are under phishing attack as scammers exploit a fake Nansen airdrop.
• Nansen CEO Alex Svanevik warns users on Twitter, confirming there is no planned airdrop for 2023.

Crypto analytics platform Nansen is grappling with a wave of phishing scams targeting its users. Numerous individuals have reported receiving fraudulent emails promoting an attractive “Nansen Airdrop,” allegedly offering an exclusive opportunity for participation. However, CEO Alex Svanevik took to X (formally Twitter) and “warned users” that there is “no scheduled airdrop for 2023.”

The phishing attacks appear to flow from a data leak linked to one of Nansen’s third-party vendors. Cybercriminals are capitalizing on this breach to send out misleading emails to exposed Nansen clients. The recipients of the phishing emails, who were compromised in the vendor-related data breach, are being informed that they were eligible for the airdrop.

Further, the fraudulent communication from Nansen asserts that clients can now claim their “NANSEN” tokens as part of an exclusive opportunity. To add a layer of fraud, the email includes a malicious link. Reports on X indicate that scammers are spreading these phishing messages through emails that appear to be registered on networkforgood.com. 

The situation traces back to late September 2023, when Nansen’s CEO, Alex Svanevik, revealed that some of the platform’s clients had their information exposed due to a hack on a third-party vendor. This unnamed vendor, serving numerous Fortune 500 companies, fell victim to a hacker attack. That granting unauthorized access to an account used by Nansen for customer platform access.

The September security breach could have affected almost 7% of Nansen’s clients, as disclosed by Svanevik. But the ongoing phishing attack underscores the escalating challenges, and it’s uncertain how many users fell victim to this scam.