Beware of "Pay original fine" - a scam method

[tranthidung]

The message of this thread is simple "Beware of Pay original fine" that is a scam method from scam exchange.

I don't know you have ever used or seen any exchange like that one BitcoinLT (I do neither know nor use it). The image is taken from a local who asked me for support ^{in August 2020}.

Code:

https://www.bicoinlt[dot]com/

It is a phising site and was shut down already.

What happen on a specific exchange if after you make a deposit, they hold that deposit amount, put it on hold, then require you pay a fine because they judge you make deposit from laundering sources?

Scam for sure!

If they think (based on proof, data investigation) you are doing money-laundering or fraudulent activities, they should freeze your account and any attempt to get fine fees to give you access to account and fund are scam attempts

They repeatedly do their scam attempts, with different domain names, modify message templates but always try to make double scams. Thanks @DdmrDdmr for additional info.

They either play around with a set of messages, or have changed their message since last year:

[1713519197]

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[1713519197]

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[Charles-Tim]

What makes me surprised is that they have been existing since 2019 till now, or has the site long ago be partially taken down? Because if not take down, many people would have been scammed. Normally, exchanges can not ask for any ransom, we all know who can ask for ransom, which are scammers, it is truly a scam site. Making proper research about an exchange before registering on the exchange is very essential, but most of the scam exchange can use free giveaways to lure victims to send bitcoin or any other crypto into the exchange. It is great that people have been warned now that the exchange is a scam exchange. Scammers are just wicked, after freezing (scam 1) someone's account (scam 1), they still ask the victim to pay for ransom (scam 2).

[DdmrDdmr]

They either play around with a set of messages, or have changed their message since last year:

Here they’re on about a less sophisticated excuse, more aligned to the classical type of approach.

There’s a story on how that site is used in a scam attempt here (in Russian): https://pikabu.ru/story/internet_moshenniki_6836117

Different Exchange same, same layout ...

[tranthidung]

What makes me surprised is that they have been existing since 2019 till now, or has the site long ago be partially taken down?

It existed before 2019. The wayback machine can help you: https://web.archive.org/web/20170215000000*/bitcoinlt.com

The first image in OP shows that case happened in August 2020 (the victim was greed and was directed to the scam exchanges). I don't know when the site was taken down (just remembered about it, and checked it today to make this thread). I don't know after I gave him my advice, he whether paid the fine (~0.05 BTC) or ignored the double-scam request.

Scammers are just wicked, after freezing (scam 1) someone's account, they still ask the victim to pay for ransom (scam 2).

Double scams.

[Bitcoin_Arena]

It is a phising site and was shut down already.

The site hasn't been shutdown though. It's just google chrome putting out that phishing warning but if one visits if from Firefox, Opera or perhaps any other browser out there, they can easily access it without any of those warnings.

There's a group of domains that are being used to carry out this scam type of scam. Just like DdmrDdmr says, all have the same layout and by loading the website I can confirm that i have seen such web layout before. This time round they have decided to change the message a little but the scam approach is the same. There was a thread which was dedicated for reporting such domains, some would go offline but each and everyday, new ones would pop up.

[traderethereum]

What makes me surprised is that they have been existing since 2019 till now, or has the site long ago be partially taken down?

It existed before 2019. The wayback machine can help you: https://web.archive.org/web/20170215000000*/bitcoinlt.com

Even if that existed before 2019, I never heard of that site.
For the exchanges that don't have reputations or a small exchange, maybe I only register and see what is inside on that exchange, and if I think that is not fit for me, I will leave and not use that exchange to trade.
There are many recommended exchanges out there which we can use to trade, so we don't have to use the unknown exchange which we don't know.
Thank you @OP for this information, and I hope that people will not try to use that site to trade.

[Coyster]

For the exchanges that don't have reputations or a small exchange, maybe I only register and see what is inside on that exchange, and if I think that is not fit for me, I will leave and not use that exchange to trade.

The rule of thumb for users who want to trade or try out small exchanges like this is to play around with small amount, or coins of low value, so if the exchange comes out as scam, locks your deposit and asks for a ransom, forfeiting your initial deposit would not be too much of a problem and the loss will be minimal. Depositing large amounts of btc into untrusted exchanges is how people get scammed more than once, cause they panic when the scam exchange locks their funds, and they will gullibly want to retrieve their initial deposit as it's worth much and they deposit again.  

[Maroons]

For the exchanges that don't have reputations or a small exchange, maybe I only register and see what is inside on that exchange, and if I think that is not fit for me, I will leave and not use that exchange to trade.

The rule of thumb for users who want to trade or try out small exchanges like this is to play around with small amount, or coins of low value, so if the exchange comes out as scam, locks your deposit and asks for a ransom, forfeiting your initial deposit would not be too much of a problem and the loss will be minimal. Depositing large amounts of btc into untrusted exchanges is how people get scammed more than once, cause they panic when the scam exchange locks their funds, and they will gullibly want to retrieve their initial deposit as it's worth much and they deposit again.  

Those kinds of exchange sites thats not in the top searches of google and are hard to locate are mostly scam ones but honestly as of now there are lots of known exchange sites in the internet so just search for top exchange site then pick one then its done you have yourself your exchange site to use to trade your cryptos, thats why we have the internet to gain information for ourselves and educate ourselves so that we wont be falling for those kind of scams

[tranthidung]

The rule of thumb for users who want to trade or try out small exchanges like this is to play around with small amount, or coins of low value, so if the exchange comes out as scam

I believe in your theory. It is very common to see people who are greed but lazy to do own research. They want to invest with small capital while need huge return. They mostly fall into the trap of scammers: create accounts on newborn, strange, low volume exchanges, accept extremely high risks with very low-volume coins or tokens. Then when the projects do scam exit, they won't be able to sell out (because of very low volume) -- if luckily enough they can get part of initial capital. Or when exchanges do scam exits, they lose all capital.

Those kinds of exchange sites thats not in the top searches of google

As said, with the exchange scam, people are mostly invited from Ponzi, hype groups. They don't have to search to find scam exchanges.

My message (when I created the thread) is "Read OP story, includes the addtional info from @DdmrDdrm, then keep it in your mind. Some days later, if you see similar scam attempts, you will know they are scam and won't lose money"

They can change domain names, website layouts, message templates but the method is the same.

[traderethereum]

For the exchanges that don't have reputations or a small exchange, maybe I only register and see what is inside on that exchange, and if I think that is not fit for me, I will leave and not use that exchange to trade.

The rule of thumb for users who want to trade or try out small exchanges like this is to play around with small amount, or coins of low value, so if the exchange comes out as scam, locks your deposit and asks for a ransom, forfeiting your initial deposit would not be too much of a problem and the loss will be minimal. Depositing large amounts of btc into untrusted exchanges is how people get scammed more than once, cause they panic when the scam exchange locks their funds, and they will gullibly want to retrieve their initial deposit as it's worth much and they deposit again.  

That is right. I don't suggest to my friends to deposit in a large amount in the unknown exchange or don't have a reputation because that will be too risky.
We don't know if that exchange will have better services to their members or scam their members in the future because anything can happen.
Using a little money to trade will be recommended to prevent the scam and to lose too much money, so we don't have to panic if they scam us.
But still, many traders attract to deposit more money when they see the profit. Besides that, they don't learn from the other trader's lesson.

[boyptc]

That's the same with other scams that are asking to pay first before the user can withdraw. It's just for fake exchange and ponzi sites before.

Now, they're also using casinos. Shame on them. Thanks for the heads up op.

[aioc]

I would not think of using a new exchange unless a read a lot of good reviews about the exchange and they have a very active support here, that  one is a sample of why you should not go for new exchange, they are trying to scam you two times, when you deposit and trying to make you deposit again, so far I have not yet encounter such exchange.

[plvbob0070]

As scam continues to spread, people should be vigilant in choosing and trusting an exchange. Based on the delivered statement regarding the suspension of an account, be sure to make a search before sending your funds as a charge to retrieve your account. Additionally, learn to choose a reputable and verified exchange, considering the fake exchanges that may fool you to embezzle your funds. Upon seeking some information regarding these fake exchanges, it turns out that there are other exchanges with a similar web layout scamming people.

Which can be seen on this review website. (The content of this website is in the Russian language but this can be translated into English to understand the content)
Link:

Code:

https://seoseed.ru/tradeberry-i-creonix-otzyvy-o-birzhe-moshennikov/

[pakhitheboss]

Why do people go to such a crypto exchange?

There are so many reputed ones still you will read every day a new name of an unknown exchange. What kind of lucrative offers drags them there? Just because of their own greed they lose what they have and then they cry for help.

Scammers are getting smarter every day and this is the first time I am reading about such a scam. Thanks for the heads-up OP.

[tranthidung]

Why do people go to such a crypto exchange?

Newbies naively think their capital will be always protected when they store it on any crypto exchange. By default, they believe if an exchange operates for a while, it should be a good and secured one. No risks of scam exit, no vulnerability to hack, etc.

They are wrong NotYourKeys.org that is a good website to learn about such risk.

There are so many reputed ones still you will read every day a new name of an unknown exchange. What kind of lucrative offers drags them there? Just because of their own greed they lose what they have and then they cry for help.

They want to gamble with strange and tiny altcoins and hope that their bets will help them becoming $ millionaires.

Scammers are getting smarter every day and this is the first time I am reading about such a scam. Thanks for the heads-up OP.

Scammers are stupid and they reuse their method in many aspect of our lives and in cryptocurrency as well.