Recently, Bireway.com website popped up, promoting itself as a place to keep cryptocurrency and other assets securely. I managed to gather reliable supporting information that clearly reveals it is, actually, a fraudulent service.
Despite the promises of the most convenient, reliable, and customer-centric service, Bireway.com does not offer any of them. All this is just a golden wrap around a blatant scam, which steals your funds and never returns them. Any tales about gifts, endorsement from celebrities etc are absent as well.
Bireway Scam Overview
Originally, Bireway poses as a crypto trading & cryptowallet platform with remarkably low commission fees. Another highlighted marketing point for this service is backing from celebrities that have relation to the crypto world. Vitalii Buterin (Ethereum creator), Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet – the site claims having significant support from them. To make these claims look more realistic, frauds employ deepfake videos with those celebs advertise the fake crypto service as the best thing in the world. For known reasons, Elon Musk is the most common choise for that. But, as I mentioned above, all this is just a blatant wrap around a transparent scam.
Initially, Bireway copies the design of many equivalent websites. There are quite a few examples, like Xanade, Fetorex or Coinwhack. They are completely indistinguishable in terms of graphic elements, with small discrepancies in the webpage header. Other details, and at times even crypto wallet addresses, are matching. Probably, all these scam websites are operated by the same gang of scoundrels.
Cryptocurrency Scam Summary
Website | Bireway.com |
Hosting | AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc. United States, San Francisco |
IP Address | 188.114.96.3 |
Threat Type | Scam/Fraud |
Scam Type | Fraudulent offers of cryptocurrency services |
How the Bireway Scam Works?
Bireway is a part of a extensive cryptocurrency scam scheme that started circulating actively in 2023. Scammers who stand behind it use various website designs, which still share the similar overall layout. Another common element are the ways the scams like NAME are promoted, and the manner all this ends up to the victim of the scam. To reach peak efficiency, frauds apply sophisticated psychological tricks that make the user believe in the authenticity of the website. But let’s review them one by one.
Step 1: Promotion
To begin the deceptive scheme, criminals create and fill accounts on popular social media platforms. They mainly target Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Subsequently, the marketing campaign starts. Using bots and paid ads (when feasible), scam actors boost the exposure of their deceptive activities to possible victims. And as I said, fraudsters do not disdain using deepfake for creating clips with the aforementioned celebrities that advertise their scam to the public. To boost the folks even more, deceivers claim the bonus for every user who registers the service immediately.
Users receive a stimulus to sign up, drawn by the assurance of receiving cryptocurrency prizes valued at hundreds of dollars, all for free. To enhance the attractiveness of the offer, fake claims of sponsorship by a celebrity are incorporated. As you may guess, these assertions are completely baseless.
Step 2: Gaining Traffic
Upon clicking the promos, users end up on a page filled with enticing offers. “Crypto starts with Bireway”, “Your crypto savings are secured with Bireway, “Start earning with Bireway – they look rather reliable. To heat up the interest and make the users proceed to step 3, crooks say that claiming the promoted bonus requires registration. And since nothing suspicious happens at this point, uninformed users happily move on – especially as the reward appears to be right behind the corner.
This is the last stage when it is possible to get away from the scam without any losses. Before you register using your personal data, rascals will not earn even a nickel from your presence on the website.
Step 3: Data Gathering
This is where the main fraud action begins. As I just mentioned, scammers bait folks for registration with bonuses. And all the personal info needed for it – email, username, cryptocurrency wallet address – are valuable for user identification. Exclusively by gathering this information and selling it further into the Darknet, fraudsters can earn quite a penny. Nonetheless, their plans go much further.
As it turns out, you cannot use the claimed bonus right away. To make it at least usable for cryptocurrency purchases, the user should top up the account with the sum of a bonus. And this is what starts the final step of the scam.
Step 4: Requesting funds
It is obvious that any cryptocurrency operations require having money on your account. In the case of Bireway, users are also coerced to top up to claim the bonuses. And this is what creates the majority of the cash flow to this scam website. By topping up the account, users hope to get the pledged gift (usually $500-1000 in USDT), and may start trading on this site hoping to use all the credited funds and withdraw them.
This is where the first obvious issues start to surface. When keeping an eye on the actual cryptocurrency wallet vs what the site says, you can notice that no transactions are done whatsoever. And then, when you’d try to retrieve the capital from your account, the scam is finally uncovered to the user.
Step 5: Escaping from Funds Withdrawal
Needless to say that swindlers are naught on intentions to return your money. Though to make it look more realistic, they’ve made up a whole bunch of reasons to decline the withdrawal request. Usually, they repeat what KYC regulations say, but for the Bireway.com they are here only to make the wireout impossible.
By asking for your personal information, deceivers just stall hoping for you to accept the loss and stop contacting them. If you don’t – well, there are numerous other checks you would desperately need to undergo before getting your grand back. And each of these checks will share more and more information, which – you guessed it right – will be then sold on the Darknet. Never reveal your real info to strangers!
Signs of Scam
I gathered several facts that point at the scammy nature of the Bireway.com. Actually, there are a lot of scams that fall under the same points, so they are pretty much universal.
- False Celebrity Sponsorship. Bireway often resorts to fake endorsements from celebrities such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mr. Beast, and Mark Zuckerberg. This fraudulent tactic extends to claiming partnerships with reputable companies like Coinbase, Binance, or MetaMask, despite lacking any genuine affiliations.
- Cryptocurrency-Only Payments. Bireway.com exclusively accepts payments in cryptocurrencies, rejecting traditional bank transfers and other methods. This approach not only masks the company’s identity but also eliminates the possibility of seeking refunds.
- Dubious Company Information. Bireway raises suspicion by withholding essential ownership, location, and registration details. Furthermore, the absence of legitimate contact information and the recent establishment of domain and social media pages intensify skepticism.
- Unsubstantiated Hype. Bireway.com employs groundless hype tactics, fabricating events like securing contracts with Coinbase or receiving endorsements from Elon Musk. These manipulative techniques aim to instill false confidence and encourage further investments.
- Potential Pyramid Scheme. The scam relies on a structure resembling a Ponzi scheme, leveraging a referral system spread through social media. However, only initial participants benefit, often at the expense of subsequent investors.
- Implausible Claims. Promising returns of 50-100-200%, Bireway preys on the desire for quick profits. Yet, the volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market makes such gains highly unlikely, definitively labeling Bireway as a scam.
What Should I do as a Victim?
If you had to deal with Bireway site and fell victim to that scam, there are still some steps to take. They will make further scam attempts harder, and also boost the knowledge about that scam among folks.
- Secure Your Actions. Begin by promptly reporting the scam to appropriate local authorities tasked with handling financial fraud. Notify wallet providers and engage with social networks’ technical support teams. By taking these measures, you contribute to making the scammers’ operations significantly more difficult.
- Expand Awareness. Extend your efforts by sharing the scam information with your close friends. This action has a parallel effect to reporting to the authorities, as disseminating details about fraudulent crypto services reduces the potential victims they can deceive.
- Gather Evidence. Preserve comprehensive evidence by capturing screenshots and saving all pertinent data linked to the deceptive website. Collect the URL, screenshots of the main page, login interface, end-user license agreement (EULA), account top-up menu, and wallet addresses. These materials could prove invaluable for authorities in their pursuit of the scammers.
- Explore Refund Possibilities. While cryptocurrency payments generally fall outside the scope of refund policies within most banks, it’s worth investigating the potential for a refund in specific circumstances. Maintain optimism until you definitively confirm the loss.
- Convert Mistake into Wisdom. Transform your financial setback into a valuable learning experience. Treat your loss as an investment in understanding the tactics of crypto scam sites. Familiarize yourself with their key characteristics, how they lure individuals, and the grandiose promises they make. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be well-equipped to recognize and avoid falling into future traps without incurring further losses.
Scan your system for possible malware infections
Beware of cross scams! Scam actors can use your trust to make you download some stuff or interact with certain documents. It may be a trap that installs malware to your system. There are no moral barriers or limits for these scoundrels.
Throughout the course of the scam, its actors may contact you with specific documents. Alternatively, they may suggest you to set up “cryptocurrency wallet applications” or “browser extensions” to facilitate access to your cryptocurrency savings. As we previously figured out, these scoundrels have no intent of restoring your capital. So, what can these messages and browser add-ons represent? You guessed – that is another component of the deceptive plan designed to entice you into deliberately running harmful programs onto your computer.
Both plugins and files attached to email messages can act as a carrier for diverse malicious code. In this scenario, I anticipate the presence of spyware and stealers among other kinds of malware. While it is not mandatory for scammers to distribute malware, the probability is always above zero. As previously mentioned, their conscience is of no concern, and their reputation is already deeply compromised. They have nothing to lose and aim to boost gains.
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Frequently asked questions
The vast majority of information posted on the Bireway site is false. It is either fabricated, or a manipulation that misses the context of mentioned events. However, things like quotes or other interactive elements related to current prices may be trustworthy. But I would rather avoid using them as a primary source of information.
No, there is no legitimate information on the Bireway site. The operators of this site use fabricated details and deceptive tactics to create an appearance of credibility, such as appealing visuals and claims of being a licensed company. However, these claims are false, and the site is part of a larger network of interconnected crypto scam sites designed to defraud victims. The scammers manipulate users into providing sensitive personal information and making deposits, ultimately leading to the loss of funds.
Unfortunately, recovering funds lost to a scam like Bireway can be extremely challenging, if not impossible. Scammers often operate from obscure locations and use various tactics to cover their tracks, making it difficult to trace or retrieve the stolen funds. In many cases, these scams are designed to exploit victims and disappear once they have obtained the money.
Spotting crypto trading scams requires vigilance and a critical eye. Here are some tips to help you identify potential crypto trading scams in the future:
- Scrutinize Celebrity Endorsements. Be cautious of endorsements from celebrities or public figures. Scammers often fabricate endorsements to gain credibility.
- Resist Urgency. Watch out for tactics that create a sense of urgency to pressure quick decisions. Legitimate investments offer time for research and consideration.
- Consult Reviews and Feedback. Look for independent reviews and feedback from fellow traders. Scammers may create fake positive reviews, but negative reviews can provide valuable insights.
- Question Unrealistic Promises. Be skeptical of offers promising unrealistically high returns or guaranteed profits. If an investment opportunity seems too good to be true, it likely is.
- Verify Regulation and Licensing. Check if the platform or service is regulated and licensed by relevant authorities. Scammers often operate without proper authorization.
If you have become a victim of a Bireway or similar crypto trading scam, it’s important to take immediate action to minimize further damage and increase the chances of recovering your losses. Here’s what you should do:
- Contact Financial Institutions. If you conducted any payments or deposits through your credit card or bank account, promptly notify your financial institution. They might offer assistance in contesting transactions or initiating chargebacks.
- Immediately Halt Communication. Once you recognize that you have fallen victim to a scam, cease all communication with the scammers. Refrain from responding to their emails, messages, or phone calls.
- Consult Legal Counsel. Seek counsel from a legal expert specialized in fraud or financial matters. They can provide guidance on potential legal avenues for recovering your funds.
- Inform the Authorities. Lodge an official report with your local law enforcement agency and relevant regulatory bodies within your country. Present them with the amassed evidence. This step instigates investigations and enhances awareness about the scam.
- Notify Cryptocurrency Exchanges. Should you have employed a cryptocurrency exchange for transactions linked to the scam, inform the exchange about the fraudulent activity. In certain cases, they could extend their assistance.
- Seek Legal Advice. Consult with a legal professional who specializes in fraud or financial matters. They can provide advice on potential legal actions you can take to recover your funds.
- Thoroughly Document the Events. Gather and safeguard all pertinent information, including emails, screenshots, transaction records, and any correspondence with the scammers. This documentation holds utmost importance for reporting the scam and seeking assistance.