$282 million worth of Litecoin and Bitcoin stolen in scams, whale wallet security raises alarm again

HashBard · 2026-01-17T01:12:11+00:00

Recently, on-chain tracker ZachXBT exposed an incident where a whale investor lost over $282 million in crypto assets due to social scams. The attacker used psychological manipulation to induce victims to voluntarily surrender wallet permissions, highlighting the dangers of social engineering scams. The stolen assets were converted into Monero across multiple platforms and transferred in a dispersed manner, serving as a warning for large holders to stay vigilant and prioritize security verification.

HashBard

2026-01-17 01:12:11

Abstract generation in progress

【Blockchain Rhythm】On-chain tracking expert ZachXBT recently exposed a shocking asset theft case. A major whale investor suffered heavy losses on the evening of January 10th this year—being scammed through a carefully designed social engineering attack on their hardware wallet, losing over $282 million worth of Litecoin and Bitcoin.

The method used in this incident is worth noting. The attacker did not exploit technical vulnerabilities to directly hack into the wallet, but instead manipulated human psychology and weaknesses to induce the victim to voluntarily surrender wallet permissions. This type of social engineering scam is becoming an invisible threat to the security of crypto assets.

What’s even more interesting is the subsequent on-chain tracking of the case. The stolen assets were not directly sold on exchanges but were instead converted in batches into Monero (XMR) through multiple instant exchange platforms, which directly drove up XMR’s market price. Some Bitcoin was even more “cunningly” transferred across chains via Thorchain’s cross-chain bridge, dispersing into Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin networks to disrupt the traceability.

This case once again reminds large holders: no matter how secure your hardware wallet is, the human element is often the most vulnerable. Be cautious of any requests claiming to verify identity, update firmware, or perform security checks—these are always the first line of defense.

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BTC-0,47%

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SatoshiSherpa

· 7h ago

Hey, this is just outrageous. $280 million just disappeared like that? Social scams are really damn sneaky. Honestly, it's still human nature that’s the hurdle; many tech experts still fall for it. The way they transfer Monero is really clever, no wonder law enforcement is so annoyed. No matter how much assets you have, you gotta keep your wallet keys secure. Cross-chain nesting really makes things easier for these people. Even whales get wrecked; no one in this industry is safe.

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FunGibleTom

· 7h ago

Damn, 282 million just gone like that... Social engineering scams are really hard to prevent. Human weakness will always be the biggest vulnerability, more terrifying than any technical flaw. Transferring Monero... a bit sneaky, still trying to whitewash. No matter how rich a whale is, they can't escape social engineering, this is outrageous. Hardware wallets can't even stop it? Then what can we trust? Just thinking about it gives me chills, I feel I need to be more careful. The Monero price was pushed up so aggressively, the market is too dirty. This guy's mentality must be really shattered, the moment they wake up... Cross-chain transfers and dispersed transfers, anti-surveillance awareness is truly excellent. A standard carefully planned scam, low cost and high returns.

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AirdropFatigue

· 7h ago

$282 million is gone just like that. Social engineering scams are really more ruthless than technical attacks. Hardware wallets can't even guard against human nature. This guy probably won't sleep well anymore. The method of transferring Monero is indeed cautious, but unfortunately it's too late. It's both scams and cross-chain money laundering. This combo punch is really precise. Why do I feel like my wallet isn't safe either? I was just thinking about whether to diversify my assets. That's why I prefer to HODL rather than mess around—there are too many pitfalls. So, you still have to beware of social engineering. No matter how enthusiastic others are, don't authorize anything casually. Someone probably made money from the recent surge in XMR, huh? Truly despairing. Speaking of which, this guy has also given the entire community a lesson, though at a high cost. The alarm was quite timely; it all depends on how many people truly listen.

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FlyingLeek

· 7h ago

$282 million just disappeared like that, social engineering is really more ruthless than technical hacking Hardware wallets can't even stop human weakness, this guy must be so exhausted This move of transferring Monero in a flashy way, directly pumped the price? Hackers also understand trading coins Feeling sorry for this whale, next time remember to be more cautious Cross-chain decentralized transfer, playing it slick, feels like they understand anti-tracking better than us This incident has pushed my paranoia to the max, do people still dare to use hardware wallets? Really? No way, social scams are so powerful, how are we small investors supposed to survive? XMR was forcibly pumped this round, innocent bystander caught in the crossfire haha Tell me, what wallets are still safe now? I suspect ZachXBT might have been scammed with something similar, so good at tracking on-chain assets

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