We Investigated Bitrels.com: Legit or Scam? The Facts

Recently, Bitrels.com site popped up, promoting itself as a platform where you can securely store cryptocurrency and other assets. I managed to gather credible supporting information that clearly reveals it is, actually, a scam site.

Despite what Bitrels site says, they will never return your funds. Even though the figures displayed in the “member area”, there is no possibility to retrieve even a penny. All commitments regarding crypto bonuses are hollow as well.

Bitrels Scam Overview

The main feature that Bitrels attempts to provide is a safe and convenient cryptocurrency wallet service. The website pledges crypto exchange facilities, tools for controlling wallets, transfers, dashboards, and similar functions. In truth, they try to emulate the functionality of a crypto trading platform, akin to Binance or Coinbase. However, it actually exclusively serves as a cover intended to lull the vigilance.

Bitrels Scam

First and foremost, Bitrels mimics the layout of many equivalent online platforms. There are quite a few examples, like Bitbifix, Paymiumodd or Alpcex. They are completely identical in terms of visual elements, with minor discrepancies in the site header. Other particulars, and at times even crypto wallet addresses, are identical. Presumably, all these deceptive online platforms are operated by the same team of fraudsters.

Cryptocurrency Scam Summary

How the Bitrels Scam Works?

Bitrels is yet another webpage within a wide-ranging network of interconnected crypto deceptive sites. The managers utilize different brand names and websites, like Bitrels.com, to capture victims. Nevertheless, these fraudulent websites have in common matching website designs, terms of service, and About information. This unveils their sources as components of the equal scam network, which endorses the same form of fraud under various disguises. The scammers simply copy the same scam site under different names to deceive users into assuming they are joining a fresh platform. However, in actuality, it’s the identical system of fraudsters orchestrating the misleading pledges and efforts to take deposited money. The operators cleverly employ psychological tactics and enticing invitations to execute their deceitful plots.

Step 1: Spreading

To begin the fraud, criminals create and fill accounts on well-liked social media platforms. They mainly aim at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Subsequently, the marketing campaign commences. Utilizing bots and paid ads (when feasible), scam actors boost the presence of their deceptive activities to potential victims. This tactic permits them to cast a broad net and interact with their focused spectators. The latter typically consists of cryptocurrency enthusiastic individuals seeking opportunities to earn profits.

Users get an encouragement to sign up, drawn by the promise of obtaining crypto benefits valued at thousands of dollars, all without cost. To augment the appeal of the offer, fake claims of sponsorship by a celebrity are incorporated. As you may guess, these claims are completely baseless.

Step 2: Gaining Traffic

Users who show interest check out Bitrels.com via links included in promotions or bot-generated posts. The webpage employs captivating visuals, design elements that appear authentic, and claims of having a official license, all intended to present an initial impression of trustworthiness.

Step 3: Data Gathering

To redeem their prizes, users are required to proactively create an profile on Bitrels and get instructions to provide sensitive and personal information during the sign-up procedure. This comprises linking their cryptocurrency wallets, sharing email addresses, specifying phone numbers, sending in identification documents, and the like.

Step 4: Requesting funds

Once signed up, users observe significant amounts of cryptocurrency, valued at thousands of dollars, within their Bitrels wallets. Nevertheless, as is common with such bonuses, you can’t withdraw them prior to topping up your account. Usually, a deposit of $100 is asked to access the sign-up bonus. This prerequisite serves as the snare that ultimately leads to the money loss.

Step 5: Disappear

Signs of Scam

I gathered several facts that point at the scammy nature of the Bitrels.com. Actually, there are a lot of scams that fall under the same points, so they are pretty much universal.

• Absent company details. Bitrels does not provide any documentation about its ownership, location or registration. No legitimate contact details are given either. Moreover, it appears that the domain and all social network pages were registered quite recently.
• Fake sponsorship from a celebrity. Scams like Bitrels like to pick a celebrity as a sponsor of this entire campaign. For obvious reasons, fraudsters generally choose Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mr. Beast, Mark Zuckerberg, and similar celebrities. They do not disdain claiming partnership with a company as well. Even though Coinbase, Binance or MetaMask never heard of Bitrels, they do not care – this creates a halo of credibility.
• Potential Ponzi Scheme. The scam relies on a Ponzi-like referral system to spread reach through social media. In fact, only the first members will receive the payoff, at the cost of the money brought by other members.
• Hype without facts. Frauds can cheer up their victims from time to time, using claims about non-existent events. “We got contracts with Coinbase”, “Elon Musk mentioned us as the most prolific crypto project” – you could likely hear something like that. This is made to make people believe in their money return. This can be the sauce to make people top-up their accounts once again.
• Crypto-only incoming payments. Whether the user tries to top-up the account, hackers will only accept payments in crypto – no bank transfers or other payment methods. Such an approach completely hides the identity of the company and deprives you of the ability to ask for a refund.
• Claims are too good to be true. Let’s be sane and sober: even in crypto space, there are not many places where you can earn 50-100-200%. Being able to participate in all of them is nearly impossible, as well as it is impossible to insure or hedge all the risks. Even by that reason alone I can tell that the Bitrels is a definite scam.

What Should I do as a Victim?

If you had to deal with Bitrels 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 to Authorities. Your initial action should involve reporting the scam to local authorities responsible for addressing financial fraud. Additionally, reach out to wallet providers and engage with the technical support teams of social networks. This collective effort raises the bar for the scammers’ operations.
• Inform Your Inner Circle. Extend your impact by sharing information about the scam with your close friends. Similar to notifying authorities, this dissemination of details curbs the scammers’ potential to deceive.
• Document the Trail. Assemble a comprehensive record by capturing screenshots and archiving all relevant website-related data. This encompasses the website URL, screenshots of the main page, login interface, end-user license agreement (EULA), account top-up menu, and wallet addresses. These materials offer invaluable leads for authorities in their pursuit of the scammers.
• Explore Refund Possibilities. While cryptocurrency payments may not typically align with traditional bank refund policies, it’s worthwhile to explore potential refund avenues under specific circumstances. Maintain a positive outlook until you secure confirmation of the loss.
• Transform Loss into Insight. Shift your focus from the financial loss to gaining wisdom. Consider your loss as an investment in comprehending the tactics employed by crypto scam sites. Familiarize yourself with their distinctive traits, the methods they employ to entice individuals, and the extravagant pledges they make. This knowledge equips you to recognize and avoid future traps, minimizing the risk of enduring further financial setbacks.

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 timeline of the scam, rascals may contact you with particular files. Alternatively, they may suggest you to set up “cryptocurrency wallet applications” or “browser extensions” to facilitate access to your cryptocurrency assets. As we earlier figured out, these scammers have no intent of giving back your funds. So, what do these messages and browser plugins represent? Correct – that is another element of the deceptive plan designed to throw you into deliberately installing destructive programs onto your device.

Both plugins and files added to emails can act as a carrier for diverse malicious software. In this situation, I foresee the presence of spyware and stealers among other types of malware. While it is not obligatory for scammers to distribute malware, the likelihood is always existent. As previously mentioned, their morality is of negligible importance, and their dignity is already seriously marred. They have nothing to lose and intend to maximize profits.

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