The NFT artist known as Princess Hypio lost $170,000 after trusting a stranger on the Discord platform. The scammer invited her to play a game on Steam while simultaneously gaining access to her device and assets. Three of her friends were also attacked in the same way.
According to Princess Hypio, the scammer pretended for a long time to be a regular community member. He observed user behavior, learned what assets they owned, and gradually built trust. At some point, he invited the artist to play a game with him, even offering to pay for it on Steam. The game itself was harmless, but the server distributing the installer was infected with a Trojan virus.
The attack ended with the complete loss of access to her wallets and Discord account. As a result, the attacker drained both cryptocurrency and NFTs. According to Hypio, her friends were targeted using the same method. Each case began the same way – with casual conversations, attempts to “become friends,” and then a suggestion to download a game.
How the Try My Game Scheme Works
Security experts confirm that there is nothing new about this scheme. As Nick Percoco, Chief Security Officer at Kraken, explains, attackers embed themselves into trusted communities, mimic communication styles, and then strike. Instead of breaking code, they exploit trust through manipulation.
Gabi Urrutia, Chief Security Officer at Halborn, noted that the method combines social engineering with malware. Despite its technical simplicity, it is especially effective in crypto and gaming communities, where users often trust each other and own valuable assets.
The incident occurred just days after Discord published its new anti-fraud policy. The document stresses that any financial scams are prohibited and punishable by account suspension.
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