Criminals stole £9,693.80 from Crypto.com and ByteDance in just 3 working days - and they're still stealing

Introduction

Even after cybersecurity awareness campaigns and platform safety assurances, scammers continue to outmanoeuvre users-and often with the help of the very companies that claim to protect them.

A staggering £9,693.80 was stolen in just three working days using platforms such as Crypto.com and alleged connections to ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Trust-based platforms are now being exploited.

The Scam Unfolded

The scam originated from two fraudulent websites:

• ·         intlbtcs.uk
• ·         intlbtcs.online

The sites were clean, responsive, and deceptively professional. They featured the same design as Crypto.com, including:

• Dashboards with fake data
• Transaction reports that are false
• Confirmation screens that are realistic

In order to increase credibility, scammers falsely claimed  ByteDance and  TikTok referral links. In an effort to confuse users with familiar Chinese tech terms, they even claimed affiliations with  ByteDance’s Content Quality and User Experience Platform (Byte Jumping's Content Quality and User Experience Platform (字节跳动内容质量与用户体验平台)).

 

 

 

Communication Channels Used

The following aliases were used to contact victims via Telegram Messenger and WhatsApp:

• @Aisha89895
• @Marchesi668 (aka Livia Marchesi)
• @Alexandria96888 (also using the name Alexandria and Carter Pattinson)
• @Victorie883

Their methods of operation were as follows:

Telegram Messenger
WhatsApp using the following numbers: 

• +44 7349 041315
• +44 7349 558238
• +44 7562 707634

Initially, the accounts would be used to lure targets with small, seemingly harmless transactions. Once trust was established, increasingly large payments would be demanded.

“This is the final top-up,” victims were told.
But it never was.

The last transfer before suspicion was raised was £4,555. In the next minutes, more money was demanded.

Crypto.com: The Silent Enabler?

It appears that the entire scam was facilitated through Crypto.com, which processed over £9,693.80 in payments over three business days without raising any alerts, holdings, or flags.

What happened was as follows:

• There were no alerts triggered for high-value payments to anonymous wallets.
• Despite suspicious behaviour, fraud detection systems did not intervene.
• There is no security verification or intervention from the platform.
• After the victim reported it, there was no acknowledgement or assistance offered.

 

What the Victim Did Right

Everything was gathered and submitted by one victim:

• Wallet addresses
• 0xeaa9323c8bcb05fca7a8a11e13883e92a8da4c35
• 0x15f0d9e5ebd668f9c6f69e89b769288657c05e7b
• Chat transcripts
• Telegram usernames
• Phone numbers
• Screenshots of transactions

However, Crypto.com provided the following:

•          No follow-up
•          No reimbursement
•          No official response

· Multiple victims reported similar patterns, with Crypto.com serving as the common facilitator.

Key Findings

1.  Payments were processed by Crypto.com without any intervention or flagging.
2. Users exhibiting abnormal payment behaviour did not receive warnings.
3. Crypto.com branding was used by scammers to mislead users.
4. Crypto.com ignored reports submitted to it.
5. The scammers were able to carry out fake advertisements on TikTok
6. With Telegram Messenger, scammers were able to operate on a massive scale.

 

What Victims Are Demanding

There are now public demands from victims:

• All known wallet addresses should be investigated and flagged.
• Any traceable funds should be suspended or frozen.
• Provide compensation or partial financial responsibility.
• Improve internal fraud detection systems to prevent future incidents.

 “If they can’t stop it, they should at least own up to it.”

Final Warning: Don't Be the Next Victim

A platform's popularity does not guarantee protection. Crypto.com and similar platforms must do better until they do.

·         “Just because it's a big name doesn’t mean it’s safe.”
Don’t trust platforms that remain silent in the face of fraud.

This is a call to action for Crypto.com

1. Fraudulent flaws should be identified in internal systems.
2. Pursue crypto criminals in collaboration with law enforcement.
3. Address the repeated reports from victims in the public sphere.
4. People affected by the disaster should be provided with recovery paths or compensation funds.

Stay Safe in the Crypto World

Take these steps if you suspect fraud or have been affected by it:

• Action Fraud UK should be notified immediately
• Crypto transactions should be frozen by your bank
• Publicly share wallet IDs and screenshots to warn others

Author

 Ziggy Rafiq's article sheds light on the growing threat of online scams targeting vulnerable individuals, specifically veterans. Ziggy highlights the need for stronger security, vigilance, and victim support systems based on the story of a disabled British Army veteran who lost a significant sum to a sophisticated scam. In his opinion, companies like Crypto.com and ByteDance should take responsibility in preventing scams, and readers should stay informed and proactive to protect themselves and their loved ones.