A day before the Black Lives Matter Movement marked the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death, online scammers set the bait to lure supporters from across the globe with a new crypto scam.

On May 24, Bitdefender Antispam Lab spotted hundreds of spam emails using some dirty tricks as they ask recipients to fund the Black Lives Matter movement.

They use high-profile figures and celebrities to fuel their deceit while dishonoring the memory of victims’ and protestors’ goodwill.

Alicia Keys, Eva Longoria, Meryl Streep, Amy Schumer, Angela Basset, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Chris Evans, George Takei, Katty Perry, Mandy Moore, Taylor Swift, Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo, Leonardo Dicaprio, Lenny Kravitz, Lebron James and John Legend are just a few of the celebrity names used by the scammers.

The fake email opens with a reminder about the movement and offers recipients an easy way to financially support it.

“Protestors gather around the country following the deaths of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, and many others,” the scammers’ letter reads. “Now, many are wondering how they can support the Black Lives Matter movement. In addition to learning more about racism, engaging in difficult conversations, and voting, donating to organizations that aid the individuals and communities that are directly affected is one way to show support.”

Recipients willing to offer support can choose to donate between $25 and $1,000 in bitcoin by using the crypto wallet conveniently attached at the bottom of the email. Luckily, the Bitcoin address provided in the above sample has not received any transactions so far.

“Your contribution will benefit Black Lives Matter Global Organization,” the scammers add.

This latest attempt at scamming the online community stands to prove that cybercrooks and fraudsters will do anything in their power to get what they want – your money.

This includes profiting off major social, political and financial events that receive publicity on social media platforms and make international headlines.

The Black Lives Matter movement went global in 2020 after the tragic death of George Floyd, which continues to fuel protests to this day. Supporters should be wary of any donation requests they might receive via unsolicited emails and stick to the appropriate channels to support charities and social movements such as Black Lives Matter.