New Bitcoin Scam Unfolds: Old Wallets, Fake Lawyers
2025-07-08 22:11:17
Main Idea
BitMEX Research warns of a Bitcoin scam involving fake legal notices sent via OP_RETURN messages to old wallets, including the infamous 1Feex wallet linked to the Mt. Gox hack.
Key Points
1. BitMEX Research identified a scam involving tiny 'dust' transactions with OP_RETURN messages directing recipients to a fake legal notice website.
2. The scam targets old Bitcoin wallets, including the 1Feex wallet holding 80,000 BTC stolen from Mt. Gox in 2011.
3. The fraudulent website, branded 'Salomon Brothers,' claims to have taken 'constructive possession' of dormant wallets and demands proof of ownership within 90 days.
4. BitMEX Research advises against responding to the scam, noting that law enforcement has been notified but no investigation has been announced.
5. The scam exploits Bitcoin's OP_RETURN function to embed arbitrary text on the blockchain without spending funds.
Description
BitMEX Research sounded an alarm on 8 July after spotting what it calls “an ongoing Bitcoin scam.” In a X post the analytics desk described a wave of tiny “dust” transactions sent to pre-2012 Bitcoin addresses that still contain large, untouched balances. Each transaction carries an OP_RETURN message that reads: “NOTICE TO OWNER: see salomonbros[.]com/owner_notice.” One of the targets is the famous 1Feex wallet holding almost 80,000 BTC stolen from Mt. Gox in March 2011—funds now worth roughly $...
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