By Layla Zulfa 
Cryptocurrency analysts at BitMEX Research have issued an urgent warning to the digital asset community regarding a sophisticated new social engineering campaign targeting early Bitcoin holders. The scheme specifically focuses on dormant addresses dating back to the foundational days of the network in 2011, leveraging on-chain data manipulation and elaborate corporate impersonation to trick unsuspecting targets into surrendering access to multi-million-dollar fortunes.
According to the research firm, the attackers exploit long-dormant addresses by injecting false transactions and misleading text messages directly onto the blockchain. This is achieved through the use of OP_Return outputs, which are an optional field within Bitcoin transactions designed to carry small amounts of arbitrary data. By embedding fraudulent messages directly into the ledger, the perpetrators ensure that anyone monitoring these historical wallets via blockchain explorers encounters their malicious prompts.
In one prominent and well-documented case highlighted by the analysts, the scammers set their sights on the heavily scrutinized "1Feex" wallet. This high-profile address currently holds approximately 80,000 Bitcoin, a massive balance widely believed to be tied to funds stolen during the historic 2011 breach of the defunct Mt. Gox exchange.
Rather than attempting a direct technological compromise of the private keys, the attackers crafted a cunning psychological trap. The on-chain data directs observers to a meticulously constructed fraudulent website designed to impersonate Salomon Brothers, the legendary historical Wall Street investment bank.
Upon visiting the counterfeit web portal, targets are greeted with an official-looking legal notice. The document falsely claims that the targeted Bitcoin wallet has been legally classified as "lost or abandoned." To heighten the sense of urgency and lend an air of false legitimacy, the site invites supposed rightful owners to step forward and prove their claim.
Victims are instructed to either sign an on-chain message utilizing the wallet’s private key or submit extensive personal documentation through an online contact form. The notice carries a strict deadline, warning that if no verified response is received by October 5, the wallet will permanently forfeit its status and be deemed legally abandoned by its owners.
Fake Legal Claims and Corporate Impersonation
BitMEX Research swiftly debunked the legitimacy of the campaign, noting that the fraudulent website bears no credible connection to the real Salomon Brothers or its historic leadership structure. While the scammers attempted to build an aura of authority by publishing a list of real individuals who previously worked at the prominent firm during the 1980s, none of those former executives have any actual association with the spurious entity running the scheme.
The research platform noted that this tactical approach bears striking similarities to earlier, controversial controversies. Observers pointed out parallels to past legal maneuvering involving the exact same Bitcoin address, which had previously attracted attention from figures such as Calvin Ayre during separate legal actions.
"The links between this company and this website are fake," BitMEX Research stated in their public breakdown of the scam. "There is a page with an ‘advisory board’ that contains real people who worked at Salomon Brothers in the 1980s, however, these people seem to have no link to this new spurious entity."
As news of the campaign circulated across digital asset forums, cryptocurrency community members quickly weighed in to analyze the technical and tactical flaws in the scammers’ approach. Security-minded users pointed out that any legitimate wallet owner seeking to prove active control of a dormant address would naturally choose to move a nominal, tiny fraction of their Bitcoin to a fresh address—a standard cryptographic verification method. They would certainly not need to fill out sensitive web forms or hand over private keys to an unverified third-party entity claiming corporate authority.
This glaring discrepancy has led cybersecurity experts and on-chain analysts to conclude that the entire campaign is part of a broader, highly targeted social engineering effort. Instead of relying purely on technical exploits or malware, the fraudsters are attempting to manipulate human psychology, utilizing legal intimidation and bureaucratic pretexts to harvest sensitive personal details or trick users into compromising their cryptographic security.
Security professionals have strongly reiterated that holders of dormant assets should exercise extreme caution, emphasizing that users must avoid interacting with suspicious contact forms, clicking unverified links found via on-chain data, or sharing personal information in response to unsolicited legal notices appearing on the blockchain.
A Growing Threat Landscape in the Digital Asset Sector
The emergence of these inventive social engineering schemes highlights the rapidly evolving and increasingly complex nature of cryptocurrency-related fraud. As blockchain analysis tools become more sophisticated, malicious actors are continuously forced to adapt, moving beyond simple phishing emails and malware toward elaborate corporate impersonation and psychological manipulation.
This threat vector arrives amid a broader surge in malicious activity targeting the digital asset ecosystem. According to industry tracking data, crypto-related thefts and heists reached staggering heights during the first half of the year, with hackers and scammers stealing over $2.1 billion across 75 separate security incidents. This figure represents a troubling 10% increase in total stolen funds compared to the exact same period in the previous year, driven in large part by increasingly coordinated campaigns and state-backed threat actors ramping up attacks across decentralized and centralized financial infrastructures alike.
As the industry continues to grapple with these persistent security challenges, analysts emphasize that vigilance remains the primary defense for long-term cryptocurrency holders. With bad actors finding novel ways to weaponize blockchain features like OP_Return data fields and exploit the historical anonymity of early network participants, market participants are urged to verify all external claims through trusted, independent channels before taking any action that could jeopardize their digital holdings.
Asro 
Muslim