A Bitcoiner has lost $91 million in a single transaction after falling victim to a sophisticated social engineering attack. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT revealed the details on X, confirming that 783 BTC worth $113,383 each were stolen on Tuesday.
The victim was targeted by impostors posing as crypto exchange and hardware wallet support. Believing the fraudsters, the investor unknowingly disclosed sensitive information, allowing the attackers to access and transfer the funds.
The theft occurred on Tuesday at 11:06 AM UTC, and by the next day, the stolen Bitcoin began moving through Wasabi Wallet, a privacy-focused Bitcoin wallet, to obscure the transaction trail.
ZachXBT: “Assume Every Call or Email Is a Scam”
According to ZachXBT, the attackers did not belong to North Korea’s Lazarus Group, a notorious hacking syndicate often blamed for major crypto heists. The stolen funds were initially sent to a clean Bitcoin wallet address (bc1qyxyk) before entering Wasabi Wallet.
ZachXBT advised users to treat every unsolicited call or email as a potential scam to avoid such attacks.
Social Engineering: A Growing Threat
Social engineering attacks trick users into revealing private keys or recovery phrases, granting attackers full control of crypto wallets. Even experienced investors and elderly users have fallen prey to these tactics.
In April, scammers impersonated Ledger, sending fake letters urging users to share their secret recovery phrases, citing a “critical security update.” Failure to comply, they warned, could result in restricted wallet access.
Crypto Thefts Remain a Multi-Billion Dollar Problem
According to CertiK, over $2.1 billion was stolen from crypto-related exploits in the first five months of 2025, with the largest being the $1.4 billion Bybit exchange exploit in February. Wallet compromises and phishing attacks account for the majority of these losses.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.