• Press Releases
    • Submit a press release
    • Read All
  • Contact us
Advertise
Bitcoinist.com
No Result
View All Result
  • Bitcoin
    • News
    • Price
    • Businesses
    • Acceptance
    • Technology
    • Investment
    • Regulation
    • Reviews
    • All Bitcoin News
  • Altcoins
    • News
    • Price
    • Ethereum
    • Ripple
    • Litecoin
    • EOS
    • NAGA
    • All Altcoin News
  • Tech
    • Blockchain
    • Security
    • FinTech
    • Price
      • Bitcoin Price
      • Ethereum Price
      • Binance Coin Price
      • Litecoin Price
  • Industry
    • Industry News
    • Press Releases
  • How to
    • Buy gift cards/mobile Top Ups with Cryptos
    • What Is Bitcoin?
    • Best Bitcoin Wallet
    • Bitcoin vs Ethereum
    • Why Use Blockchain Technology?
    • Bitcoin Cash ABC vs. Bitcoin Cash SV
    • How to Buy Cryptocurrency
    • How to do Crypto Gambling
      • Crypto Casinos
        • Ethereum Casinos
        • Solana Casinos
        • LiteCoin Casinos
        • DogeCoin Casinos
        • Live Crypto Casinos
        • New Casinos
        • Instant Withdrawal Casinos
        • Cash App Casinos
        • No KYC Casinos
        • VPN Casinos
        • Offshore Casinos
          • Crypto Casinos IT
          • Crypto Casinos ES
            • All Guides
          • Crypto Casinos JP
          • Crypto Casinos SG
          • Crypto Casinos MY
          • Crypto Casinos KR
          • No GAMSTOP Casinos in UK
          • No Cruks Casinos NL
      • Crypto Betting
        • No ID sportsbooks
    • Play Crypto Games
      • Crypto Poker
      • Crypto Slots
      • Crypto Blackjack
      • Crypto Crash Gambling
        • Aviator Sites
      • Plinko
    • Bitcoin Mining
    • Best Bitcoin Brokers
    • Best Bitcoin Forex Brokers
    • How To Earn Bitcoin
    • What is Facebook Libra?
    • Ripple and XRP: The Complete Guide
  • Events
  • Play Games
Breaking News: Bitcoin Price Makes History By Crossing $126,000: Options Market Forecasts Next Price Targets
  • Bitcoin
    • News
    • Price
    • Businesses
    • Acceptance
    • Technology
    • Investment
    • Regulation
    • Reviews
    • All Bitcoin News
  • Altcoins
    • News
    • Price
    • Ethereum
    • Ripple
    • Litecoin
    • EOS
    • NAGA
    • All Altcoin News
  • Tech
    • Blockchain
    • Security
    • FinTech
    • Price
      • Bitcoin Price
      • Ethereum Price
      • Binance Coin Price
      • Litecoin Price
  • Industry
    • Industry News
    • Press Releases
  • How to
    • Buy gift cards/mobile Top Ups with Cryptos
    • What Is Bitcoin?
    • Best Bitcoin Wallet
    • Bitcoin vs Ethereum
    • Why Use Blockchain Technology?
    • Bitcoin Cash ABC vs. Bitcoin Cash SV
    • How to Buy Cryptocurrency
    • How to do Crypto Gambling
      • Crypto Casinos
        • Ethereum Casinos
        • Solana Casinos
        • LiteCoin Casinos
        • DogeCoin Casinos
        • Live Crypto Casinos
        • New Casinos
        • Instant Withdrawal Casinos
        • Cash App Casinos
        • No KYC Casinos
        • VPN Casinos
        • Offshore Casinos
          • Crypto Casinos IT
          • Crypto Casinos ES
            • All Guides
          • Crypto Casinos JP
          • Crypto Casinos SG
          • Crypto Casinos MY
          • Crypto Casinos KR
          • No GAMSTOP Casinos in UK
          • No Cruks Casinos NL
      • Crypto Betting
        • No ID sportsbooks
    • Play Crypto Games
      • Crypto Poker
      • Crypto Slots
      • Crypto Blackjack
      • Crypto Crash Gambling
        • Aviator Sites
      • Plinko
    • Bitcoin Mining
    • Best Bitcoin Brokers
    • Best Bitcoin Forex Brokers
    • How To Earn Bitcoin
    • What is Facebook Libra?
    • Ripple and XRP: The Complete Guide
  • Events
  • Play Games
Bitcoinist.com
No Result
View All Result
Breaking News: Bitcoin Price Makes History By Crossing $126,000: Options Market Forecasts Next Price Targets
20 Year-Old British Model Kidnapped; Nearly Auctioned for Over $350k in Bitcoin

Man Tortured For His Bitcoin: 4 Ways to Protect Your BTC Funds

Georgi Georgiev
by Georgi Georgiev
6 years ago
·
Posted in News, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Education, News teaser
Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

A Bitcoin trader from South Africa has reportedly been drugged, kidnapped, and tortured over his Bitcoin holdings. The assault happened after the man followed an invite to an anonymous presentation, highlighting the threats lurking on the internet. 


Kidnapped Over Bitcoin 

A bitcoin trader from the area of Lanseria in Johannesburg, South Africa, has reportedly been involved in what seems much like a Hollywood thriller.

Lured by an invite to do a presentation on Bitcoin, a trader only known as Andrew got drugged, kidnapped, and tortured by a group of people over his Bitcoin holdings, according to local media citing police reports.

The police say the man was abducted by 5 people – two women and three men who burned him with a hot iron while threatening his wife if he did not send his bitcoin to an account controlled by the criminals.

Eventually, the man transferred some ZAR 800,000 ($59,000) in BTC and another sum of approximately $7,400 via bank transfer. Additionally, the kidnappers took his two iPhones and two laptops before dropping him off on a random road.

Fortunately, the victim is currently recovering in a local hospital after sustaining serious burn wounds on his buttocks, legs, hands, and his torso.

Stay Safe!

Earlier this month Bitcoinist reported on another assault case where a young man got waterboarded and waxed to reveal his crypto-wallet password.

Both of these situations highlight the importance of being able to defend yourself from a $5 wrench attack, i.e. where you’re being physically assaulted for your bitcoin.

Not even super secure offline hardware wallets can prevent a physical attacker from forcing you to hand over your private keys and/or send them your bitcoin.

4 Ways to Prevent $5 Wrench Attacks

Here are a few things you can do to ensure the safety of your holdings, and perhaps your own.

First and foremost, silence is golden. Do not reveal that you hold bitcoin to anyone and avoid wearing flashy Bitcoin merchandise. If you get in a situation of the kind, though: deny, deny, deny. Lie and try to cast doubt that you even have bitcoin.

Second, you can carry a small amount of cryptocurrency in a side account that you can simply use to appease the attacker.

Third, you can use multi-sig technology to prevent your coins from being transferred with just one private key. The other key could be kept by a person you trust and/or stored within a safety deposit box, for instance. To avoid further complications, don’t keep a list of the people who hold your other private keys.

Finally, you can use a Duress code. This is similar to a warrant canary where you have a secret signal to other key holders notifying them that you have been compromised. They will then know that they shouldn’t reveal their keys or that you are currently in distress.

Ideally, it would be wise to apply a combination of these strategies for maximum protection of your funds.

However, since no amount of bitcoin is worth more than your life, it may probably be best to send bitcoin to the attacker as Andrew had, who luckily escaped with his life.

What are the best ways to protect yourself against $5 wrench attacks? Let us know below!


Images courtesy of Shutterstock

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.
ShareTweetShareShare

Sign Up for Our Newsletter!

For updates and exclusive offers enter your email.

I consent to my submitted data being collected and stored.
Georgi Georgiev

Georgi Georgiev

Follow

Full Profile

Related Posts

Bitcoin

Are Bitcoin Whales Back In Accumulation Mode? On-Chain Data Suggests So

1 day ago
Bitcoin

Bitcoin Options Market Sees Bullish Shift: Calls Lifted In $136K–$145K Range

2 days ago
bitcoin

MARA Boosts Bitcoin Reserves By 373 BTC In September, Surpasses $6 Billion In Holdings

2 days ago
Bitcoin

Bitcoin Jumps To $120K, Catapulting Strategy’s Holdings To Record $77.4 Billion

3 days ago
World Liberty Financial

World Liberty Financial: Trump Jr. Defends Company Against Political Accusations

3 days ago
Bitcoin

Bitcoin As The New Battleground—Sweden Signals Interest In Joining The Race

4 days ago
Please login to join discussion

Premium Sponsors

Press Releases

  • The Quiet Market Shift Investors Might Be Missing: How Tapzi Is Challenging Institutional Favorites

    The Quiet Market Shift Investors Might Be Missing: How...

    3 days ago
  • Investors Search for Long-Term Upside in This Under-$0.01 Crypto of 2025 Tapzi

    Investors Search for Long-Term Upside in This Under-$0.01...

    4 days ago
  • MoonBull Presale Explodes with over 11,800% Projected ROI as Uptober Sends the Market Soaring

    MoonBull Presale Explodes with over 11,800% Projected ROI...

    4 days ago
  • 狗狗幣引領『Uptober』Meme...

    4 days ago
  • ตัวละคร Snorter ขนฟูโต้คลื่นบนเซิร์ฟบอร์ดสีชมพู

    จับตา Uptober!...

    5 days ago

Bitcoin news portal providing breaking news, guides, price analysis about decentralized digital money & blockchain technology.

Bitcoin

  • News
  • Price
  • Businesses
  • Acceptance
  • Technology
  • Investment
  • Regulation
  • Reviews

Altcoins

  • News
  • Price
  • Ethereum
  • Ripple
  • Litecoin
  • EOS

Categories

  • Blockchain
  • Security
  • FinTech
  • Technology
  • Trending
  • Breaking News
  • Press Releases
  • How to

About Us

  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
© 2025 Bitcoinist.com. All Rights Reserved.
  • Bitcoin
    • News
    • Price
    • Businesses
    • Acceptance
    • Technology
    • Investment
    • Regulation
    • Reviews
    • All Bitcoin News
  • Altcoins
    • News
    • Price
    • Ethereum
    • Ripple
    • Litecoin
    • EOS
    • NAGA
    • All Altcoin News
  • Tech
    • Blockchain
    • Security
    • FinTech
    • Price
      • Bitcoin Price
      • Ethereum Price
      • Binance Coin Price
      • Litecoin Price
  • Industry
    • Industry News
    • Press Releases
  • How to
    • Buy gift cards/mobile Top Ups with Cryptos
    • What Is Bitcoin?
    • Best Bitcoin Wallet
    • Bitcoin vs Ethereum
    • Why Use Blockchain Technology?
    • Bitcoin Cash ABC vs. Bitcoin Cash SV
    • How to Buy Cryptocurrency
    • How to do Crypto Gambling
      • Crypto Casinos
      • Crypto Betting
    • Play Crypto Games
      • Crypto Poker
      • Crypto Slots
      • Crypto Blackjack
      • Crypto Crash Gambling
      • Plinko
    • Bitcoin Mining
    • Best Bitcoin Brokers
    • Best Bitcoin Forex Brokers
    • How To Earn Bitcoin
    • What is Facebook Libra?
    • Ripple and XRP: The Complete Guide
  • Events
  • Play Games
Advertise

© 2025 Bitcoinist. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy Center or Cookie Policy.