Avoid getting scammed by fake "Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice" email
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of email is "Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice"?
After examining this "Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice" email, we determined that it is spam. This fake message states that account holders with the Bittrex cryptocurrency exchange can reclaim their holdings, and the recipient can now transfer over four thousand USD of their digital assets. The scam email promotes a crypto drainer website that siphons funds from exposed digital wallets.
"Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice" email scam overview
The spam email with the subject "Bittrex Bankruptcy: Confirmation of Payment Section" (may vary) is likely inspired by the Bittrex cryptocurrency exchange having shut down following an investigation by AML (Anti-Money Laundering Improvement Act).
The scam message informs the recipient of Bittrex's bankruptcy. It states that account holders are not able to access their holdings. Hence, the recipient's unclaimed balance of $4,264.17 can now be reclaimed. The recipient is thus instructed to sign into their account and connect the appropriate service (such as a digital wallet), and following a verification process, they will be able to access their Bittrex funds.
This spam email promotes a deceptive page that resumes with the masquerade by namedropping legitimate entities and detailing how and why Bittrex users can reclaim their assets. The visitor must then provide their email address, and they are prompted to connect their cryptowallet to proceed.
As mentioned in the introduction, all the information provided by the "Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice" email is false, and this mail is not associated with the real Financial Market Authority of Liechtenstein or any other legitimate entities.
The site endorsed by this spam campaign is a cryptocurrency drainer scam. Hence, when a user "links" their digital wallet to it – they unintentionally sign a malicious contract that facilitates the drainer. Basically, this enables automatic outgoing transfers from victims' wallets.
Some drainers can approximate the value of digital assets and prioritize their theft. This activity may appear innocuous – hence, it can remain unnoticed for a significant amount of time.
Cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed due to their nearly untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like the one endorsed by "Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice" cannot recover the stolen digital assets.
| Name | "Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice" spam email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Recipient can reclaim their $4,264.17 Bittrex holdings. |
| Related Domains | client.39183-bittrex[.]com |
| Detection Names (client.39183-bittrex[.]com) | Fortinet (Spam), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Serving IP Address (client.39183-bittrex[.]com) | 195.133.13.106 |
| 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. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Similar spam campaign examples
We have written about countless spam campaigns; "Cryptopia email scam", "Ledger Recovery Phrase Verification", "Blockchain Rewards", "Coinbase - Deposits Verification Request", "Your Account Has Been Dormant", and "MetaMask Wallet Verification" are just some examples of emails that use cryptocurrency-themed lures.
Spam mail is used to promote various scams (e.g., crypto drainers, phishing, sextortion, refund, etc.) and proliferate all kinds of malware.
While the commonly held belief that these emails are poorly put together and full of grammatical/spelling mistakes is not untrue, it is not always the case. This mail can be competently made and even convincingly disguised as messages from companies, service providers, organizations, institutions, authorities, and other legitimate entities.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam campaigns distribute malware through malicious files attached to or linked inside the emails/messages. Infectious files come in various formats, e.g., documents (Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, PDF, etc.), archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), JavaScript, and so on.
When a malicious file is opened – the infection chain is initiated. However, some formats need additional user interaction to trigger malware download/installation. For example, Microsoft Office files require users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote documents need them to click on embedded links or files.
How to avoid installation of malware?
We strongly recommend exercising caution with incoming emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, and other messages. Attachments for links found in dubious/irrelevant mail must not be opened, as they can be malicious.
It must be mentioned that malware is spread using various techniques. Therefore, we advise vigilance when browsing since fraudulent and dangerous online content usually appears genuine and harmless.
Furthermore, all downloads must be made from official and verified sources. Another recommendation is to activate and update programs using legitimate functions/tools, as illegal activation tools ("cracks") and third-party updates may contain malware.
We must stress the importance of having a dependable anti-virus installed and kept updated. This software must be used to perform regular system scans and to remove threats and issues. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Text presented in the "Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice" spam email letter:
Subject: Bittrex Bankruptcy: Confirmation of Payment Section
Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice
We're notifying you that, under recent authorization, account holders are now eligible to manage and transfer any unreviewed holdings.
As of January 22nd, 2025, your account reflects an unclaimed balance of $4,264.17. This may include credits applied in the past, along with additional items requiring confirmation. As part of our ongoing account closure procedures, we are enabling the release of these holdings following the latest protocols.
To proceed, please log in to your account and connect a compatible tool or service (web, hardware, or app) for safe handling. Completion times may range from 5 minutes to 1 hour, depending on verification checks of your linked account.
Distribution Portal
Thank you,
The Kroll Team
Anytime Fitness | 11221 W Hercules Dr #105 | Star, ID 83669
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Appearance of the crypto drainer website promoted by the "Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice" spam campaign (GIF):
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Quick menu:
- What is "Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice" spam 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?
Spam emails are not personal, even if they include details relevant to the recipients. Cyber criminals distribute this mail by the thousand with the hopes that at least some recipients will fall for their scams.
I have lost digital assets to the website promoted by "Bittrex Inc Bankruptcy Notice", can I get my money back?
No, these transactions cannot be reversed because of their practically untraceable nature.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by a spam email, what should I do?
If you have provided your log-in credentials – change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and inform their official support without delay. However, if you've disclosed other private information (e.g., ID card details, passport scans, credit card numbers, etc.) – immediately contact the appropriate authorities.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
No, merely opening/reading an email does not pose an infection threat. Systems are infected when malicious attachments or links are opened/clicked.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?
If the opened while was an executable – most likely, yes – the device was infected. However, you might have avoided this if it was a document. Some formats (like documents) may need additional actions to initiate malware download/installation processes (e.g., enabling macros, clicking embedded content, etc.).
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Yes, Combo Cleaner is designed to scan devices and eliminate all kinds of threats, including malware infections present in email attachments. It is capable of detecting and removing most of the known malware infections. Remember that high-end malicious software typically hides deep within systems – therefore, running a complete system scan is essential.
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