Recently, Bitmartai.com service popped up, promoting itself as a platform to keep cryptocurrency and other assets safely. I managed to gather reliable supporting information that unmistakably reveals it is, actually, a deceptive site.
Despite the promises of the most easy, dependable, and client-friendly service, Bitmartai.com does not offer any of them. All this is just a golden wrap around a dirty scam, which takes your funds and never gives them back. Any stories about gifts, sponsorship from celebrities etc are non-existent as well.
Bitmartai Scam Overview
Originally, Bitmartai poses as a cryptocurrency trading & cryptowallet service with remarkably low commission fees. Another highlighted selling point for this platform is backing from celebrities that have relation to the crypto world. Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, Vitalii Buterin, Jeff Bezos – the site claims having significant support from them. To make these claims look more realistic, frauds use AI-generated videos where those celebrities promote the scam as if it was 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 an obvious scam.
First and foremost, Bitmartai shares the design of numerous equivalent websites. There are quite a few examples, like Bexusx, Befeno or Livaxxen. They are completely identical in terms of visual elements, with small discrepancies in the website header. Other particulars, and at times even crypto wallet addresses, are unchanged. Probably, all these deceptive online platforms are led by a single team of scammers.
Cryptocurrency Scam Summary
Website | Bitmartai.com |
Hosting | AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc. United States, San Francisco |
IP Address | 172.67.140.137 |
Threat Type | Scam/Fraud |
Scam Type | Fraudulent offers of cryptocurrency services |
How the Bitmartai Scam Works?
Bitmartai is a part of a large cryptocurrency scam scheme that started circulating actively in 2023. Rascals who stand behind it use several website designs, which still share the identical 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 advanced 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 start the fraud, criminals establish and fill accounts on well-liked social media platforms. They primarily target Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Subsequently, the marketing campaign starts. Utilizing bots and sponsored promotions (when feasible), fraud actors intensify the visibility of their scam activities to potential victims. And as I said, scammers do not shy away using deepfake for creating clips with the aforementioned celebs that promote their scam to the public. To boost the folks even more, frauds claim the bonus for every user who registers the service immediately.
Users receive a stimulus to sign up, drawn by the promise of receiving crypto prizes valued at thousands of dollars, all for free. To enhance the attractiveness of the offer, fake claims of sponsorship by a celebrity are added. As you may guess, these claims are entirely baseless.
Step 2: Gaining Traffic
After following the promos, victims end up on a page filled with enticing offers. “Crypto starts with Bitmartai”, “Your crypto savings are secured with Bitmartai, “Start earning with Bitmartai – they look rather reliable. To heat up the interest and make the users proceed to step 3, scammers say that retrieving the promoted bonus requires registration. And since nothing questionable happens at this point, unexperienced users happily keep on – especially as the gift appears to be right behind the corner.
This is the last stage when it is possible to steer away from the scam without any losses. Before you register using your personal information, swindrels will not earn even a penny from your presence on the website.
Step 3: Data Gathering
This is the starting poing of the main fraud action. As I just mentioned, deceivers bait folks into signing up to get bonuses. And all the personal data needed for it – username, email, cryptocurrency wallet address – is valuable for user identification. Only by gathering this info and selling it further into the Darknet, fraudsters can earn quite a penny. Still, their plans go much further.
As it turns out, the claimed bonus is not available to use right away. To make at least crypto purchases on the platform with it, you need to 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
Obviously, any cryptocurrency purchases require having funds on your account. In the case of Bitmartai, users are also compelled to top up to use the bonuses. And these top ups is what creates the majority of the cash flow to this fraudulent website. By topping up the account, users hope to get the pledged gift (usually $500-1000 in USDT), and may start engaging on this website hoping to use all the deposited capital and withdraw them.
This is where the victim notices the problems. When comparing the real crypto wallet vs what the website says, you can notice that no transactions are done whatsoever. And then, when you’d try to pull out the capital from your account, the scam is finally uncovered to the user.
Step 5: Escaping from Funds Withdrawal
There’s no need to explain that fraudsters are naught on intentions to send you money. But to make it look more realistic, they’ve crafted a whole bunch of reasons to decline the wireout request. Most of them repeat what Know Your Client guidelines say, but for the Bitmartai.com they are here only to make the withdrawal impossible.
By requesting your personal data, frauds just stall hoping for you to understand that you’ve been scammed and stop contacting them. If you don’t – well, there are a dozen other checks you should go through before getting your grand back. And every check will uncover more and more information, which – you guessed it right – will be then marketed 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 Bitmartai.com. Actually, there are a lot of scams that fall under the same points, so they are pretty much universal.
- Cryptocurrency-Only Transactions. Bitmartai.com insists on cryptocurrency payments exclusively, excluding conventional methods like bank transfers. This strategy ensures anonymity for the scam and eliminates any possibility of seeking refunds.
- Dubious Company Credentials. Bitmartai arouses suspicion by failing to provide critical information about ownership, location, and legal registration. The lack of valid contact details and the recent creation of domain and social media profiles cast doubt on its legitimacy.
- Baseless Hype Generation. Bitmartai resorts to fabricating non-existent achievements, such as contracts with Coinbase or endorsements from Elon Musk, to manipulate emotions and enhance the perception of potential returns, enticing victims to invest more.
- Fictitious Celebrity Association. Bitmartai employs a deceptive tactic by falsely associating itself with well-known figures like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mr. Beast, and Mark Zuckerberg. Additionally, the scam falsely claims partnerships with established entities like Coinbase, Binance, or MetaMask to bolster its false credibility.
- Potential Ponzi-Like Model. The scam operates on a pyramid-style referral system disseminated through social media, benefiting only initial participants and relying on later investments to sustain the illusion.
- Unrealistic Profit Promises. Promising improbable returns of 50-100-200%, Bitmartai capitalizes on the desire for high profits. However, the tumultuous nature of the cryptocurrency market renders such gains implausible, solidifying Bitmartai.com as a definite scam.
What Should I do as a Victim?
If you had to deal with Bitmartai 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.
- Report the scam to authorities. Search for local authorities responsible for financial frauds, and also notify wallet providers and social networks via their tech support. It is essential to make the further operations of these scammers much harder.
- Tell your close friends. That step is similar to reporting to the authorities, and has similar effects. By posting info about scam crypto service, you decrease the pool of people they can fool.
- Get evidence. Screenshot or save all the information related to the website. URL, screenshot of a main page, login window, EULA, account top-up menu, wallet addresses – all these things may be useful for authorities to find the scammers.
- Check whether you can ask for a refund. As I’ve said above, crypto payments do not fall under refund policies in most banks. Nonetheless, in some circumstances, it is still possible. Never lose hope until you actually confirm it is gone.
- Make your mistake your lesson. Financial losses are always a reason for frustration, but let’s imagine it was a pay for scam revealing courses. Remember the key features of these crypto scam sites, the way they attract people and what they promise. In the future, you will easily recognize a trap of spending no money.
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 duration of the fraud, scoundrels may get in touch with you with specific documents. Alternatively, they may offer you to deploy “cryptocurrency wallet applications” or “browser extensions” to facilitate access to your crypto savings. As we earlier figured out, these deceivers have no intent of returning your capital. So, what can these email messages and browser extensions represent? Correct – that is another side of the scam designed to entice you into deliberately installing malicious programs onto your system.
Both extensions and attachments included to email messages can act as a shell for various malicious software. In this case, I anticipate the presence of spyware and stealers among other kinds of threats. While it is not mandatory for scammers to distribute malware, the chance is always greater than zero. As stated, their ethics is of negligible importance, and their dignity is already seriously marred. 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 Bitmartai 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 Bitmartai 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 Bitmartai 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 Bitmartai 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:
- Cease Communication. If you realize that you’ve been scammed, stop all communication with the scammers. Do not respond to their emails, messages, or calls.
- Document Everything. Gather and preserve all relevant information, including emails, screenshots, transaction records, and any communication you had with the scammers. This documentation will be crucial for reporting the scam and seeking assistance.
- Report to Authorities. File a report with your local law enforcement agency and any relevant regulatory authorities in your country. Provide them with all the evidence you have gathered. This helps initiate investigations and raises awareness about the scam.
- Contact Financial Institutions. If you made any payments or deposits using your credit card or bank account, contact your financial institution immediately. They may be able to help you with disputing transactions or initiating a chargeback.
- 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.
- Notify Cryptocurrency Exchanges. If you used a cryptocurrency exchange to make transactions related to the scam, notify the exchange about the fraudulent activity. They may be able to assist you in some cases.
- Monitor Your Accounts. Keep a close eye on your financial and online accounts for any suspicious activity. Change passwords and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible.