A crypto address poisoning scam stripped $50 million USDT from a holder. The sophisticated attack exploited a simple copy-paste error. The incident highlights growing threats in digital asset security.
According to"> Crypton3wslive on X, the victim copied a spoofed wallet address. The address came from their transaction history. This single mistake proved catastrophic for the holder.
The scammer swiftly laundered the stolen funds. They converted everything into 16,680 ETH. The entire process took just 30 minutes through Tornado Cash.
How the Address Poisoning Scam Unfolded
The victim initially sent 50 USDT as a test transaction. The test went to their legitimate address 0xbaf4b1aF...B6495F8b5. Everything seemed normal at this point.
As"> lookonchain reported on X, the scammer immediately took action. They created a spoofed wallet with identical starting and ending characters. This tactic exploited a common user interface shortcut.
Most crypto wallets hide middle address characters with "..." symbols. Users typically verify only the first and last four characters. The victim followed this dangerous habit.
When transferring the remaining 49,999,950 USDT, disaster struck. The victim copied the fake address from transaction history. They sent the entire amount straight to the scammer.
Scammer's Lightning-Fast Money Laundering
SlowMist_Team detailed the laundering process on X within 30 minutes. The scammer executed a sophisticated conversion strategy.
First, they swapped 50M USDT to DAI via MetaMask Swap. Next, they converted all DAI into 16,690 ETH. Finally, they deposited 16,680 ETH into Tornado Cash.
The scammer used multiple addresses for the operation. These included 0xbaff2f13638c04b10f8119760b2d2ae86b08f8b5 and six other wallet addresses. Each played a role in obscuring the money trail.
Security experts emphasize the importance of address verification. Never copy addresses directly from transaction history. Always verify the complete address character by character.
The crypto address poisoning scam technique continues evolving rapidly. Scammers exploit user interface design and human psychology. They target convenience-seeking behaviors among crypto holders.
This incident serves as a costly reminder. Even experienced crypto users remain vulnerable to sophisticated attacks. Double-checking every character could prevent devastating losses.
