An attacker involved in a $68 million address poisoning scam recently returned $153,000 worth of Ether to the victim, demonstrating a gesture of goodwill. The attacker had initially tricked a user into transferring $68 million worth of Wrapped Bitcoin to them. Following this, the victim, identified as their account ending in 8fD5, communicated with the attacker under the alias “FakePhishing327990” on Etherscan. The victim proposed a resolution in which the attacker would return 90% of the stolen funds in exchange for a 10% bounty and a commitment to refrain from legal action. Another account controlled by the attacker, ending in 72F1, sent 51 Ether to the victim as a demonstration of goodwill and willingness to negotiate further.
The attacker, known as “FakePhishing327990,” expressed a willingness to negotiate with the victim and requested communication via Telegram. This negotiation unfolded against the backdrop of an address poisoning scam in which the attacker utilized a smart contract to deceive the victim into transferring 1,155 WBTC. The scam involved spamming victims with transactions that mimic their own, leading to costly errors. Security experts advise users to meticulously scrutinize transaction details, particularly the sending address, to mitigate the risks associated with such attacks. The victim emphasized the need to trace the funds and provided a deadline for decision-making.
In a recent incident, an NFT trader known as “tatis.eth” fell victim to a phishing scam, losing over $145,000 worth of tokens. The attacker, going by the name “PinkDrainer,” stole three valuable BAYC NFTs from the victim’s wallet and transferred them to a phishing address. The NFTs were subsequently sold for 48.5 ETH. The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) collection features highly valued Ethereum-based NFTs with unique cartoon ape designs. This incident is part of a broader trend of phishing scams targeting cryptocurrency users, resulting in notable losses in the first two months of 2024. Scam Sniffer data shows that over $104 million worth of cryptocurrencies has been lost to phishing attacks during this period, with a significant portion coming from the Ethereum ecosystem.
The attacker, operating under the alias “FakePhishing327990,” made a kind-hearted gesture by returning $153,000 worth of Ether to the victim following an address poisoning scam in which the victim transferred $68 million worth of Wrapped Bitcoin. The attacker initiated communication with the victim on Etherscan and expressed a willingness to negotiate a resolution. Despite the complexity of the address poisoning scam, the victim proposed a deal in which the attacker would return 90% of the stolen funds in exchange for a 10% bounty and a commitment to refrain from legal action. The attacker responded by sending 51 Ether to the victim as a goodwill gesture, indicating a willingness to continue negotiations.
Phishing attacks targeting cryptocurrency users, such as the recent incident involving the NFT trader “tatis.eth,” have resulted in significant financial losses. In this case, the attacker “PinkDrainer” stole three valuable BAYC NFTs from the victim’s wallet and sold them for 48.5 ETH after transferring them to a phishing address. The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT collection features highly sought-after Ethereum-based NFTs with unique ape designs. This phishing scam is part of a broader trend that has seen over $104 million worth of cryptocurrencies lost to such attacks in the first two months of 2024, with a notable portion originating from the Ethereum ecosystem. Security experts emphasize the importance of vigilance and thorough scrutiny of transaction details to prevent falling victim to these scams.
