Type of Scam: Investment
Calculated Amount Lost: $149,591.00 USD
URL of Scam: bytefederal.com

Victim Description:
The victim reports losing $149,591.00 USD in Bitcoin through an investment scam involving bytefederal.com. The victim was blackmailed after being scammed out of their funds.

Scam Domain Details:

Domain Name: bytefederal.com
Registrar: GoDaddy.com, LLC
Registered On: November 11, 2016
Expires On: November 11, 2025
Updated On: November 11, 2023
Status: clientDeleteProhibited, clientRenewProhibited, clientTransferProhibited, clientUpdateProhibited
Name Servers: fred.ns.cloudflare.com, ruth.ns.cloudflare.com

Wallet Addresses Used in the Scam:

• bc1qgjfm5rcnjqjx0ezv9ltg99qemlx77l00dehzj3 (Repeated multiple times)
• bc1qhlmj28mm00cpjv63rnmpdtahf8gcppsm7ncee6
• bc1qkk296xgy9nv8td3nkztmnklq7ru5z3mg5r0xta
• bc1qf33krrr2ddszkgkq78ehjvkjh956vewtaps0rv (Repeated multiple times)
• bc1qf3vmskxlztvcapjmnn502rzwram3p025ppdavk

Open-Source Intelligence Analysis: Key Details of ByteFederal Scam
Scam Overview:
The victim lost a substantial amount of $149,591.00 USD in Bitcoin to a scam website, bytefederal.com, which appears to have been a fake investment platform. The victim was blackmailed after transferring funds to the scammers, who likely used psychological manipulation to increase the victim’s trust and convince them to continue depositing more cryptocurrency. The scam is consistent with fraudulent investment schemes, often involving high-return promises, fake trading platforms, and requests for additional funds under various pretenses.

Scam Tactics:

Blackmail Tactics: The victim’s description suggests that after losing funds, the scammer resorted to blackmail to further manipulate the victim into sending more money or remaining compliant.
Fake Trading Platform: The victim initially made a deposit and was likely given the illusion of success or potential returns, which built their trust. Later attempts to withdraw funds were blocked, a typical tactic used by fraudulent trading platforms to ensure the victim deposits more money.
Repeated Wallet Addresses: The scammer used a set of wallet addresses to launder the stolen funds, with many addresses repeating multiple times, which indicates an organized effort to control and disperse funds.

Recommendations:
Report the Scam:
The victim should report this scam to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), FTC, and relevant cryptocurrency fraud authorities. Reporting the scam to blockchain forensics firms can help trace the flow of stolen funds.
Blockchain Investigation:
Tracing the movement of the stolen Bitcoin can be performed using services like Etherscan or BTCScan. These services can provide insight into the scammer’s network and might help track down the wallet addresses and identify other victims.
Consult a Cryptocurrency Recovery Service:
Victims of crypto scams may want to consult a professional recovery service. These services often employ experts who are experienced in tracking cryptocurrency transactions and may be able to help in retrieving the funds.
Avoid Engaging with Unverified Platforms:
Moving forward, the victim should ensure that they avoid engaging with unknown or unverified investment platforms. Researching and verifying any crypto platform before investing is essential, as scams can sometimes mimic legitimate trading sites.
Implement Better Security Measures:
The victim should review all accounts for security vulnerabilities, ensure two-factor authentication (2FA) is enabled, and be cautious about engaging with suspicious online platforms.

Conclusion:
The victim lost a significant sum of $149,591.00 USD to a scam orchestrated by bytefederal.com. The scam involved a fake crypto trading platform, blackmail, and fraudulent requests for additional funds. The victim should act swiftly to report the scam and consult professional services for potential recovery.