How to avoid falling for scams like "Bittrex" phishing campaign

What is "Bittrex" email scam?

Having scrutinized the email associated with this scam, we have concluded that the scammers orchestrating it intend to entice unsuspecting individuals into revealing sensitive information. Their primary objective is to pilfer cryptocurrency wallets. Therefore, it is imperative to disregard both the email promoting this scam and the deceptive page featured within it.

More about the "Bittrex" scam email

The scam email opens with a polite greeting, claiming to address the recipient about an urgent matter. It asserts that Bittrex, a cryptocurrency exchange, is shutting down its services after filing for bankruptcy. The scammers allege that the recipient's account, linked to the provided email address, has a remaining balance exceeding $5,750.

They express a purported interest in facilitating a smooth withdrawal process to ensure the funds are not forfeited after the platform shutdown. The email provides detailed steps for the withdrawal process, including a specified withdrawal window.

The recipient is urged to click a button to initiate the withdrawal. A sense of urgency is emphasized, warning that failure to withdraw within the specified period will result in the loss of all remaining assets. The email concludes with an email address for purported support.

The provided link ("Initiate Withdrawal" button), supposedly directing users to the Bittrex withdrawal portal, is, in reality, a tool used to redirect victims to a fraudulent website. Once on the deceptive page, users are prompted to input their account details, including private keys or recovery phrases, under the guise of verifying ownership for the withdrawal process.

Unbeknownst to the victims, this information is harvested by the scammers, enabling them to gain unauthorized access to the users' cryptocurrency wallets. Once scammers gain access to cryptocurrency wallets, they can execute transfers of digital assets to their own wallets.

Threat Summary:

Name	Bittrex Email Scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Bittrex is shutting down its services
Related Domain	priority-bittrex[.]com
Detection Names (priority-bittrex[.]com)	Trustwave (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Disguise	Letter from Bittrex
Symptoms	Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer.
Distribution methods	Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft.
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Similar scam emails in general

In conclusion, scams exploiting the imminent closure of cryptocurrency platforms, such as the deceptive Bittrex shutdown email, underscore the persistent threat of phishing schemes in the digital landscape. These scams aim to manipulate users through urgency and misinformation, leading them to unknowingly surrender access to their cryptocurrency wallets.

Examples of other crypto-related scams are "Shibarium Scam", "Brad Garlinghouse Crypto Giveaway", and "The Bored Ape Pixel Club". It is important to know that cybecriminals use emails not only steal information but also to deliver malware.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Users can infect their computers via email through malicious attachments or links. Cybercriminals send emails containing seemingly innocuous files, such as PDFs or Word documents, which harbor hidden malware. When users open these attachments and perform additional actions if necessary for malware to execute, the malware is planted on computers.

In other cases, users can compromise their computers via links that lead them to websites hosting malware. Those pages host malicious files, programs, or trigger malicious drive-by downloads.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Regularly update all software, including the operating system, web browsers, and security applications. Exercise caution when receiving links or files via email. Do not open them if the email is suspicious (e.g., irrelevant or sent from unfamiliar email address). Avoid suspicious websites, advertisements, and pop-ups.

Do not download pirated software, cracking tools, key generators, etc. Always obtain software from official pages or reputable app stores.

If you have already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.

The appearance of the "Bittrex" scam email (GIF):

Text presented in the "Bittrex" email letter:

BITTREX GLOBAL

Dear Bittrex User,

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to inform you about an URGENT concern. As you may already know, Bittrex has made the difficult decision to shut down our exchange services after filing for bankruptcy. However, it's come to our attention that before platform shutdown, the account registered with your email address **** had a remaining balance greater than $5,750 USD, and we want to ensure a smooth process for you to withdraw these funds. Failure to withdraw will result in a complete forfeiture of all remaining assets held by Bittrex.

Withdrawal Process:
To withdraw remaining assets, please follow these steps:
1. Head over to the Bittrex withdraw portal found in this email.
2. Initiate the account owner verification steps.
3. Enter the withdrawal amount and the destination address (if applicable).
4. Review the withdrawal details and confirm the transaction.

Withdrawal Period: The withdrawal window will be open for a limited time, and it is crucial that you initiate your withdrawal as soon as possible. The withdrawal period begins on 11/23/2023 and ends on 11/26/2023.

To get started, simply click the button below to visit the withdrawal page and begin the withdrawal process:

Initiate Withdrawal

Please be aware that after the withdrawal period expires, your remaining funds will become inaccessible, so it is crucial to complete your withdrawals within the specified time frame.

If you have any questions or require support you can send an email to global@bittrex.com

© Bittrex 2023

Screenshot of the website utilized to steal crypto wallets:

Another variant of a Bittrex-themed scam email promoting a phishing site:

Text presented within:

Subject: Your Bittrex-Inc assets can now be transferred.

BITTREX GLOBAL

Dear Bittrex User,

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to inform you about an URGENT concern. As you may already know, Bittrex has made the difficult decision to shut down our exchange services after filing forbankruptcy. However, it's come to our attention that before platform shutdown, the account registered with your email address had a remaining balance of above $1,250 USD, and we want to ensure a smooth process for you to access these funds. Failure to access will result in a complete forfeiture of all remaining assets held by Bittrex.

Access Process:
To access remaining assets, please follow these steps:
1. Head over to the Bittrex access portal found in this email.
2. Initiate the account owner verification steps.
3. Enter the access amount and the destination address (if applicable).
4. Review the access details and confirm the transaction.

Access Period: The access window will be open for a limited time, and it is crucial that you initiate your access as soon as possible. The access period begins on 05/14/2024 and ends on 05/19/2024.

To get started, simply click the button below to visit the access page and begin the access process:

Initiate Access

Please be aware that after the access period expires, your remaining funds will become inaccessible, so it is crucial to complete your access within the specified time frame.

If you encounter any difficulties during the access process or have questions, Bittrex Inc. has established an information line for interested parties: 888-481-3704 (US & Canada toll free) and 747-293-0010 (International). You can also send an email to BittrexInquiries@omniagnt.com

© Bittrex 2024

Screenshot of the promoted phishing site:

Yet another example of Bittrex-themed spam email:

Text presented within:

Subject: Available Now: Your Assets.

 

BITTREX GLOBAL

Dear Valued Customer,

We're reaching out to inform you of an important matter regarding your account with us. It has come to our attention that there are leftover funds associated with your account that require your attention.

Funds Access Process:

Access our platform by clicking the button below.
Follow the instructions provided to verify your account.
Once verified, you can proceed to access and withdraw your leftover funds.

Access Period: Please note that the access period is limited. Act now to ensure you don't miss out on accessing your funds.

To proceed and access your leftover funds, simply click the button below:

Access Funds

If you have any questions or need assistance, don't hesitate to contact our support team.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
© 2024 BTX LTD. All rights reserved.

Another example of a Bittrex-themed spam email promoting a phishing site:

Text presented within:

Subject: FlNAL MASS NOTIFICATION FOR CLIENTS TO MAKE LEAVE BEFORE CLOSING DATE

 

BITTREX

We hope this message reaches our former users from the early dawns of our time in the space & loyal members of our community that have long awaited our approval by the S.E.C to begin full allocations to our clients.

You have remainders with us that have accumulated heavily since your last login, Please remove everything today as this is a needed procedure.

Details:

- Access will be processed to destination addresses provided by the client.
- All remainders will be distributed evenly and fairly.

Ensure your destination is valid and previously used with us.

Smoothly Leave Platform!

Initiate Your Leave:
To start the process, please follow these steps:

Confirm Your identity.
Approve the required prompts.
Confirm and complete your leave.

Good luck with your future journeys.

You will be notified of any changes to the status.

Re-sends of this exact email may be sent to confirm you are paying attention to updates given to you.

Security:  888-887-0311

IT Help Desk:  888-887-0153

HRAssist:  888-887-6915

Help Desk:  888-661-6100;

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL

If you have any questions please contact the appropriate parties:

Yet another example of a Bittrex-themed spam email promoting a phishing site:

Text presented within:

Bittrex Inc.

Bittrex Inc. has been granted permission by the United States Bankruptcy Court to allow customers who meet the necessary regulatory requirements to access their accounts and withdraw any remaining assets.
 
Based on our records, as of September 27th, 2024 your Bittrex account holds an estimated value of $14,231.07

You have until October 6th, 2024 to withdraw your remaining assets or file a Proof of Claim (more info below). However, we strongly suggest you withdraw your funds as soon as possible to give our customer support team sufficient time to resolve any unforeseen issues.

text in website:

Affected Creditor Withdrawal
You have been identified as an substantially affected creditor during Bittrex's chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, Which they were mishandling customer funds It is possible that you did not file a Proof of Claim prior to the deadline, however, you are still eligible to withdraw ALL assets entitled to you that Bittrex withheld, and the market gains from those assets, the debtor , still possesses.

In order to begin the claims process, enter the email address associated with your Bittrex account and then connect and verify with an eligible previously used with Bittrex, crypto wallet.

Upon completing this process, you will receive any outstanding debts or obligations that Bittrex,the debtor, still owes you within 24 hours to the same Wallets you wish to receive your coins to.

Screenshot of the promoted phishing site:

Yet another example of an email from Bittrex-themed spam campaign:

Text presented within:

Subject: NOTICE: TAKE ACTION TO WITHDRAW REMAINING ASSETS ON BITTREX ACCOUNT

 

LEGAL NOTICE
BITTREX

You have remaining assets within your Bittrex Account that must be withdrawn by October 15 2024,

Failure to complete this process will result in a debtor liquidation

We strongly suggest you withdraw your funds as soon as possible to give our customer support team sufficient time to resolve any unforeseen issues.
Redistribute Your Coins

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Quick menu:

• What is Bittrex phishing email?
• Types of malicious emails.
• How to spot a malicious email?
• What to do if you fell for an email scam?

Types of malicious emails:

Phishing Emails

Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.

Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.

After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.

Emails with Malicious Attachments

Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.

In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.

If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.

While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.

Sextortion Emails

This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.

To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.

How to spot a malicious email?

While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:

• Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
• Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
• Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
• Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.

To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows. 

Example of a spam email:

What to do if you fell for an email scam?

• If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
• If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
• If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
• If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
• Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why did I receive this email?

Criminals send identical letters to thousands of recipients, anticipating that they will trick someone. These spam emails lack any personalization.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?

If you have provided your crypto wallet access information on a fraudulent website, update those login credentials and notify your crypto wallet service provider about the scam.

I have downloaded and opened a malicious file attached to an email, is my computer infected?

If the file was executable (like .exe), malware may likely have been introduced to your computer. However, in the case of a document file (.pdf, .doc, or similar), you might have avoided infection, as merely opening the document is sometimes insufficient for malware to penetrate the system.

I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?

Simply accessing an email poses no threat. The risk of system infections emerges when links within the email are opened or when attached files are accessed.

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?

Combo Cleaner can detect and get rid of nearly all known malware infections. It is essential to mention that advanced malware often conceals itself deeply within the system. Therefore, conducting a full system scan is highly recommended.

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