Crypto Scam Alert: $68M WBTC Stolen in Address Poisoning

As a researcher with extensive experience in the crypto industry, I’m deeply concerned about the recent address poisoning scam that resulted in the loss of $68 million worth of Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) for an unsuspecting trader. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities that traders face and the persistence of fraudulent activities within our space.


A trader suffered a significant loss of $68 million worth of Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) due to an address poisoning scam. This unfortunate incident was revealed by Cyvers, a security firm specializing in on-chain analysis, in a May 3rd announcement. The affected wallet, labeled “0x1E,” experienced the depletion of over 97% of its digital assets, equating to approximately $67.8 million.

🚨WARNING🚨Is it accurate that someone has inadvertently lost approximately $68 million in WBTC? Our system indicates an incident where a certain address has been affected by address poisoning, resulting in the loss of 1,155 WBTC. 💔Affected party: Perpetrator: Toxic transaction:…— 🚨 Cyvers Alerts 🚨 (@CyversAlerts) May 3, 2024

As a security analyst, I would describe address poisoning, also referred to as address spoofing, from a first-person perspective as follows: This tactic preys upon traders’ susceptibilities during financial transactions. It involves deceiving victims into transferring their digital assets to fraudulent addresses that are under the control of scammers.

As a researcher studying cryptocurrency transactions, I came across an unfortunate incident where a trader unwittingly sent 1,155 WBTC (Wrapped Bitcoin) to a fraudulent wallet. The consequences were financially detrimental.

Scams Continue to Plague Crypto Industry

Although attempts continue to enhance security in the realm of cryptocurrencies, deceitful activities persist as a significant concern. Just last month, there was an instance of fraud involving the ZKasino gambling platform that led investors to lose a considerable sum of their digital assets.

Dutch officials have apprehended suspects linked to the ZKasino scandal, yet this is just one instance in a larger pattern of deceitful practices undermining faith in investments.

According to CertiK, an on-chain intelligence company, there was a notable decrease in cryptocurrency losses caused by scams and hacking activities during April. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that the significant $33 million ZKasino scam wasn’t included in their assessment, implying that the real numbers could be more extensive.

The decrease in losses can mainly be linked back to a reduction in the number of occurrences where private keys have been breached, providing easier entry points for individuals to misappropriate cryptocurrencies.

As a crypto investor, I’ve come to realize that even with continuous efforts to combat fraud and enhance security measures, the crypto industry remains vulnerable to scams like the recent address poisoning scheme.

Read More

2024-05-03 18:44