Protecting the Aleo network: Our collaborative approach to fraud prevention

As an Aleo user, staying informed about common scam tactics is essential to protect your finances and personal information. The Foundation uses multiple services to actively monitor the landscape of scams using the Aleo name and brand and engages with a number of partners to identify and remove them. However, awareness is the best way to protect yourself from potential malicious actors. 

This brief guide is intended to help you identify and avoid some common scams targeting the Aleo ecosystem, helping you safely interact with and benefit from the only private-by-default layer one blockchain.

Be aware of website spoofing

Malicious actors often impersonate legitimate brand’s websites, hoping to draw traffic away from them and towards potential scams. These fake websites are designed to look identical to official platforms, often leading users to enter their personal information unknowingly. 

To protect users and builders from scams like this on Aleo, the Foundation partners with a brand protection platform to take down sites similar to our domain that have ill intent. But even these proactive efforts can’t catch everything, so it is still extremely important that users are vigilant about knowing how to identify and avoid spoofed websites.

Apps built on Aleo are equally committed to helping users avoid scams. When impersonators targeted the Aleo123 explorer, the team opted to abandon their existing domain in order to protect users and seized the opportunity to create a more distinct identity by rebranding to VXB.ai. The rebrand included plans to enhance their platform with AI agent and data analysis to help new Aleo users familiarize themselves with the ecosystem faster and easier. Since the rebrand, they are no longer connected with any activity connected with the previous brand and remind their users to be cautious.

Follow official channels and sources

All announcements and network updates will always come from an email from an aleo.org domain (or, for the claims process, our partner Persona) and will be announced on Discord and X. Look for subtle misspellings of official channels, verify that websites use HTTPS, and when in doubt, access official links through the Discord channel #verified-links. 

Additionally, all communication about the Aleo Network should come from an official employee at the Aleo Network Foundation. Legitimate team members are identified on Discord via the employee role and will email from an official aleo.org domain.

Watch for mining scams

In blockchain networks, mining typically involves using specialized hardware to solve complex computational problems that validate transactions and secure the network. On Aleo, provers (often referred to as ZK miners or ZK provers) are a specific infrastructure class that supports the Aleo network by solving PoSW (Proof of Succinct Work) coinbase puzzles through SNARK proofs that are then included in blocks that Aleo validators finalize.

Be cautious of any company offering mining equipment specifically for the Aleo network. The Aleo Network Foundation does not sell or endorse any mining products and encourages caution and due diligence before making any purchases. 

Working together to make Aleo safe

As the Foundation continues to encourage innovation and widespread adoption of the Aleo network, making the network a safe place for everyone is a top priority. Staying vigilant of common scams is one way you can help us achieve this goal, helping create a flourishing ecosystem of ZK dApps that benefit users and industries worldwide.