• 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: Is The Approval Of Crypto ETFs At Risk? SEC Operations Frozen By Gov. Shutdown
  • 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: Is The Approval Of Crypto ETFs At Risk? SEC Operations Frozen By Gov. Shutdown
Bitcoin scam news alert

New Bitcoin Scam Unfolds: Old Wallets, Fake Lawyers

Jake Simmons
by Jake Simmons
2 months ago
·
Posted in Bitcoin News
Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

BitMEX Research sounded an alarm on 8 July after spotting what it calls “an ongoing Bitcoin scam.” In a X post the analytics desk described a wave of tiny “dust” transactions sent to pre-2012 Bitcoin addresses that still contain large, untouched balances. Each transaction carries an OP_RETURN message that reads: “NOTICE TO OWNER: see salomonbros[.]com/owner_notice.” One of the targets is the famous 1Feex wallet holding almost 80,000 BTC stolen from Mt. Gox in March 2011—funds now worth roughly $8.6 billion.

Bitcoin Scam Alert

The link embedded in the OP_RETURN string resolves to a slick website branded “Salomon Brothers,” complete with an “advisory board” of genuine 1980s bond-trading luminaries. The site claims to have taken “constructive possession” of the dormant wallets and gives any “bona fide owner” ninety days—until 5 October 2025—to prove ownership or forfeit all rights. Proof, it says, can be provided either by signing an on-chain transaction or by submitting personal information through a web form.

Related Reading: Bitcoin To Anchor America Party—’Fiat Is Hopeless,’ Says Elon Musk

BitMEX Research calls the set-up “a Calvin Ayre-style legal scam,” echoing past attempts by Craig Wright and associates to seize the Mt. Gox coins via creative legal theories. Independent investigators agree: security analyst @0xZilayo labelled the OP_RETURN notices “most definitely phishing attempts and have no legitimacy.”

The scam coincides with a burst of coordinated activity uncovered by blockchain sleuths. On 4 July—a US holiday that saw record-breaking on-chain movement—80,000 BTC were transferred out of eight decade-old wallets within minutes of each other, each wallet having first received a trio of OP_RETURN messages culminating in the “Salomon Brothers” notice.

Researchers believe the scammers are exploiting OP_RETURN because the opcode lets them “graffiti” arbitrary text onto the blockchain without spending significant funds, guaranteeing that any future owner—or curious on-chain watcher—will see the notice.

Related Reading: Bitcoin Summer Lull Here? Trading Volume Plummets to Yearly Lows

BitMEX’s advice is blunt: “Do NOT fill in this form.” Anyone holding coins in an address that receives one of these messages can prove control safely by moving funds to a fresh wallet; anyone without the private key has nothing to gain and much to lose by responding. Law-enforcement agencies have been notified, but no jurisdiction has yet announced an investigation.

The episode underscores a growing trend: attackers are reaching back into Bitcoin’s early history, exploiting both technical primitives (OP_RETURN messaging) and legal grey areas to monetize dormant or stolen coins. It also highlights the enduring magnetism of the Mt. Gox saga, which—more than a decade after the hack—still tempts opportunists to stake spurious claims on the exchange’s missing treasure.

For now, the safest course is to treat any unsolicited legal notice broadcast via the blockchain with extreme skepticism. In Bitcoin, possession of the private key remains the only proof of ownership that matters—no matter what an OP_RETURN string or a glossy website might say.

At press time, BTC traded at $108,811.

Bitcoin price
BTC price, 4-hour chart | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView.com
Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
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.
Jake Simmons

Jake Simmons

Follow

Jake Simmons has been a Bitcoin enthusiast since 2016. Ever since he heard about Bitcoin, he has been studying the topic every day and trying to share his knowledge with others. His goal is to contribute to Bitcoin's financial revolution, which will replace the fiat money system. Besides BTC and crypto, Jake studied Business Informatics at a university. After graduation in 2017, he has been working in the blockchain and crypto sector. You can follow Jake on Twitter at @realJakeSimmons.

Full Profile

Related Posts

Bitcoin

Bitcoin Price Still On Track To Hit $165,000, JPMorgan Analysts Reveal Timeline

18 hours ago
Bitcoin

Bitcoin Speculation Explodes As Open Interest Sets New $45.3 Billion Record

21 hours ago
Bitcoin Whales

Bitcoin Whales Still Selling, But Mid-Sized Holders Now Stepping In To Buy

1 day ago
Bitcoin Futures Buyers Step Up: Taker Buy Volume Tops $1.8B

Bitcoin Futures Buyers Step Up: Taker Buy Volume Tops $1.8B

1 day ago
Bitcoin

Bitcoin Holders Locking In Gains As Profit-Taking Surges Amid Market Recovery, Rally To Extend?

1 day ago
Spot Bitcoin ETFs Record $1.08B In 4-Day Volume: Fueling Price Momentum

Spot Bitcoin ETFs Record $1.08B In 4-Day Volume: Fueling Price Momentum

1 day ago

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...

    2 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...

    2 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...

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

    2 days ago
  • ตัวละคร Snorter ขนฟูโต้คลื่นบนเซิร์ฟบอร์ดสีชมพู

    จับตา Uptober!...

    3 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.