Scam Name: Trust-USDT Investment Scam

Calculated Amount Lost: $8,000 USD
Scam URL: trust-usdt.vip

Victim Description:
The victim was invited to a WhatsApp group that claimed to be affiliated with Binance. A person named Lisha guided the victim to invest through the fraudulent link trust-usdt.vip, which promised returns by transferring funds into a Trust Wallet account. The victim was unaware of the legitimacy of the website but followed the instructions, transferring their entire available funds from their bank account. The scam website automatically moved funds to a mining pool, where the victim could view a locked balance. The scammers then claimed that a 20% tax payment was required before the funds could be transferred back to the victim.

Scam Tactics:

Initial Contact:
The victim received an invitation to join a WhatsApp group that appeared to be related to Binance, a legitimate cryptocurrency exchange. The victim was introduced to a person named Lisha, who convinced them to invest through a link to trust-usdt.vip.

Investment Process:
The victim followed the instructions to transfer money via Trust Wallet through the fraudulent link, trust-usdt.vip. They were told that the funds would be sent automatically to a mining pool, with the victim being able to view their locked balance.

Withdrawal Block:
After the victim transferred their funds, the scammer informed them that the funds could only be released after a 20% tax was paid. This is a common tactic in cryptocurrency scams, where victims are pressured into paying additional fees to “release” their funds, which never happens.

Scammer’s Address:
The victim identifies the scammer’s USDT address as

0xb3734be7abb14c4c3f3b7d84d5a1da7a9b474d80, where the funds were transferred.

Wallet Addresses Involved in the Scam:

Scammer’s USDT Address:0xb3734be7abb14c4c3f3b7d84d5a1da7a9b474d80

Victim’s USDT Address:

0xbFF3370168c85723949d005Af9337542fbd21c36

Scam Overview:
The victim was invited to a WhatsApp group that falsely claimed to be a Binance group and was persuaded by Lisha to invest in cryptocurrency via Trust Wallet using the fraudulent website trust-usdt.vip. Once the victim made the investment, their funds were transferred automatically to a mining pool. The victim was then told that they could only access their funds by paying a 20% tax, a common ruse in cryptocurrency scams to steal additional funds from the victim.

Recommendations:
Report the Scam:
The victim should immediately report the incident to relevant authorities, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and local law enforcement. Providing details like wallet addresses and the scam URL will help investigators track the scam network.

Consult Legal Counsel:
Given the substantial loss, the victim should consult with a legal professional who specializes in cryptocurrency fraud and financial recovery. Legal experts may offer advice on recovery methods or assist in pursuing legal action.

Track Blockchain Transactions:
The victim should utilize a blockchain explorer to track the transaction history of the scammer’s wallet address. This can reveal the movement of funds and potentially help identify additional scammers or the final destination of the stolen funds.

Contact Financial Institutions:
The victim should reach out to the bank or payment service providers involved in the transaction (e.g., if they used Trust Wallet or other platforms) to report the fraudulent activity. In some cases, they may be able to offer assistance or investigate the matter.

Disengage from the Scammer:

The victim should stop all communication with Lisha and any other associated contacts. Engaging with scammers only increases the risk of further manipulation.

Alert the Public:
The victim should report the scam on social media platforms, scam reporting websites, and cryptocurrency forums to raise awareness. This will help other potential victims avoid falling for similar scams.

Blacklist the Website:
The victim should consider reporting trust-usdt.vip to Google Safe Browsing, PhishTank, or other similar services to ensure others do not fall victim to the same fraudulent website.

Monitor Crypto Accounts:
The victim should continue to monitor their Trust Wallet and other related accounts for any suspicious activities, including unauthorized transactions. If new transactions occur, they should be reported to the relevant authorities.

Domain Information:
The fraudulent website trust-usdt.vip was registered through Gname.com Pte. Ltd., with the domain being created on June 21, 2024 and set to expire on June 21, 2025. The status of the domain is clientTransferProhibited, suggesting that the scammers are attempting to lock the domain to prevent its suspension or transfer.

Domain: trust-usdt.vip
Registrar: Gname.com Pte. Ltd.
Registered On: 2024-06-21
Expires On: 2025-06-21
Updated On: 2024-06-26
Status: clientTransferProhibited
Name Servers: isla.ns.cloudflare.com, robert.ns.cloudflare.com

Conclusion:
The victim lost $8,000 after being scammed through a WhatsApp group that falsely claimed to be associated with Binance. The scammer, Lisha, guided the victim to invest using trust-usdt.vip and promised returns via a mining pool. However, the victim was then told that a 20% tax needed to be paid before the funds could be withdrawn. Immediate action should be taken by the victim to report the scam, track blockchain transactions, and raise public awareness to help prevent further harm from this fraudulent scheme.