Hey there dear readers, I just received this message on Discord today, and it looks really suspect, so I thought better than to click on any of the links:
Lymdrielith Today at 1:31 AM
Сongrаtulatiоns! You wоn 0.25 ВTC in thе Giveawау bу MycrурtоBits.nеt
Dеtаilеd infо аnd Cоnditiоns аbout Givеаwау: https://medium.com/@myCryptoBits.net/MyCryptobits-giveAway-3r8b6x6r5u0s
Уоur Prоmосodе:xxxxxxx (real code was here)
Нow to use the Рromo codе аnd get уour winnings? 1) Rеgister on the wеb-sitе: https://mycryptobits.net/ 2) Gо tо Тhе асcоunt seсtion and aсtivatе Уour Рrоmo-сodе. 3) Еxсhangе Yоur ВТС for аny currenсу оr withdrаw to your ВTС аddress.
Аttentiоn! - Don’t givе this Prоmo-Codе tо anуone. If sоmeone usеs it instеаd уоu, we will сan’t return уоur winnings tо you. - Рromо Сode is vаlid 2 days frоm the dаtе of issuе.
Наvе sоme questiоns abоut winnings? Еmail us: [email protected]*
Нave some tеchnicаl problеms with Promo сode?
Writе оnlinе support on our websitе. Rеgаrds, Mусrуptobits Тeam.
Mycryptobits - The easiest way to trade cryptocurrency
Trade Bitcoin, Litecoin, DASH, Ripple, Doge, and more via instant bank transfer. The easiest way to trade cryptocurrency!
What do you think of that? Who on earth is going to give away 0.25 BTC or a quarter of a Bitcoin just like that? That’s around $2500 worth. I seriously doubt it. I went to the website https://mycryptobits.net/ and had a look at it for reference. I then registered an account for myself and when I put in the promocode they gave me, it told me that I have the 0.25 Bitcoin. Imagine my surprise. Still I remain sceptcal though.
On trying to open the trading section, to see my so-called Bitcoin, and to trade it or even better, transfer it to a wallet of my own, a notice came up saying I have to register my account.
Then I tried to withdraw my newfound Bitcoin only to get this message when I tried:
“Unfortunately, your funds: 0.25 - BTC. are frozen until you make activated deposit. You will have to fund your account with some crypto to perform any transactions on the external decentralized network. You should to deposit at least 0.02 BTC to activate your account.”
Now it looks totally like a scam. This website says the exchange is registered in Cyprus, an offshore haven for scammy options and margin trading companies that have brokers that try to extort money out of you and never give you your money back, so I’ve heard from some investors.
So here I sit with the bait of 0.25 Bitcoin in my account on Cryptobits exchange, but to get it off the exchange I have to deposit another 0.02 Bitcoin. Does that sound like a scam to you? And why did I suddenly get this message on Discord? How did they know and why didn’t they send an email instead?
My question I sent to their online support on the website is still to be answered so we will see in the next 24 hours if they contact me. If anyone has any advice with this type of set up, I am keen to hear it. But from my opinion I would say it looks like a con. The Bitcoin industry also has its cheaters. Wherever there is money to be made, they will be there, like parasites.
The “mycryptobits” website looks like it is trying to appear legitimate, though besides the introductory pages, you see no trading platform, presumably until you have deposited your 0.02 Bitcoin or 1 Eth, which is much the same thing nowadays. Around $180 - $200.
So I can feel like I have won an illusory prize for now, that’s great. Who else has ever received this kind of message on Discord? From someone called @Lymadrielith with no profile picture at all of any kind.
Besides that several of my accounts are sending me emails lately saying someone is trying to change my password. And sometimes this past week I have been getting sms messages on my phone giving me an activation code, as if I had requested something like a password change. So I would say that there was a hack of some sort, maybe of many account names or something like that. Or maybe it’s just me.
I’m more inclined to think this is part of a larger concerted attempt by hackers to try to get into any number of accounts online from data they have harvested somewhere. The accounts I have are empty usually anyway. They were perhaps some of the many accounts I opened on many different Bitcoin-related websites in my learning and exploratory times previously. Some are to exchanges or companies offering ICOs or airdrops, and are worthless for now.
But some attempt at hacking them is going on. It has really picked up this past week or two. Anyone else experiencing this kind of thing? Curiously the link on the initial Discord message to a Medium article goes nowhere, although on Medium there is a Mycryptobit (without the s at the end) page, with one article posted late last year. And that’s it – not very convincing for a Bitcoin exchange.
The medium post might be from a user of the exchange though, where he says you can earn from their airdrops too:
“Catch every airdrop with our service and get your free coins up to 1000$ a month!”
One thing we need to be aware of is security of our crytpcurrency in this fledgeling industry with so little oversight and regulation. Don’t part with your crypto unless you know it is a legitimate project you’re involved with.
Keen to hear your opinion and experiences in this regard.