Bitcoin
77,285 LTC (about $5.8 million)
Once the stolen assets are converted into Monero, tracing them becomes virtually impossible. Monero’s built-in privacy features hide transaction details, making it extremely difficult for investigators to follow the money trail. This case highlights how advanced laundering methods are now being used after major crypto scams, making recovery of stolen funds far more challenging.
Stolen Funds Linked to These Wallet Addresses
ZachXBT identified three main wallet addresses connected to the theft, which received a combined total of 1,459 BTC and 2.05 million LTC, confirming the massive scale of the scam.
Theft Addresses:
- https://mempool.space/address/bc1qluxw46r55wf3dnk9c652vrt4duadm3hpuktf86
- https://mempool.space/address/bc1qpsmh26ja0fzzf286zulmt9eywujc2pggj40wzm
- https://blockchair.com/litecoin/address/ltc1qly43c2prj4c2e85dcspzpjd36jnapnenldnr70
The wallets include two Bitcoin addresses and one Litecoin address that were directly linked to the stolen funds.
Investigators believe the attackers have not finished moving the stolen money yet.
A large part of the Bitcoin is currently sitting in a wallet believed to be controlled by the scammers. This suggests they may be waiting for public attention to fade before moving the funds again.
Bigger Than Most Past Crypto Thefts
ZachXBT said this case is even larger than the $243 million crypto scams he investigated in 2024, making it one of the biggest personal wallet thefts in crypto history.
Unlike exchange hacks, this attack shows a dangerous trend where criminals target individuals directly instead of platforms.
This scam did not involve hacking software or breaking security systems. Instead, criminals used social engineering, tricking the victim unknowingly.
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FAQs
How can crypto users prevent social engineering scams?
Never act on urgency, verify requests independently, ignore unsolicited messages, and review wallet transactions carefully before signing.
Is 2FA enough to protect crypto wallets?
2FA helps accounts, not wallets. Hardware wallets still require user approval, so awareness and verification matter more than extra logins.
What should you do immediately after realizing you’ve been scammed?
Stop interacting, move remaining funds to a new wallet, revoke permissions, and document all transaction details right away.
Can stolen crypto be recovered after a scam?
Recovery is rare, but reporting quickly can help flag wallets, alert exchanges, and prevent further laundering.
How can users reduce future scam risks long term?
Use cold storage, separate wallets for testing, avoid public wallet exposure, and never sign transactions you don’t fully understand.
