The Central Bank of Russia has issued warnings to residents about the risks tied to clicking on games such as Hamster Combat, as reported by the Mash Telegram channel.
According to Mash, the only party that benefits financially from these apps is the developers. The games use an internal currency and additional bonuses to lure users, but these perks lack any genuine value outside the app itself.
The most concerning development is the appearance of scammers during the games’ peak popularity. These fraudsters promised to convert virtual rewards into rubles, leading many users to incur financial losses after placing their trust in such promises.
Mash notes that at present the hamster game primarily serves as a way to pass the time. There is no certainty about any actual payouts, so the prudent approach is to avoid engagement and focus on real, tangible activities instead.
Hamster Kombat is described as a viral clicker game circulating on Telegram, with its developers claiming that once the game is listed, accumulated points could be exchanged for cryptocurrency.
Previously, the Ministry of Digital Development urged safeguards to protect children from unintended mobile game purchases.