Bitcoin Addresses Received Suspicious Messages Days Before $47 Billion Movement – Was It a Phishing Scam?
- What Happened with the $47 Billion Bitcoin Movement?
- Was the "Salomon Brothers" Website a Scam?
- Why Did the Whale Move Their Bitcoin After 14 Years?
- FAQs: The $47 Billion Bitcoin Mystery
In a bizarre twist, bitcoin addresses holding 80,000 BTC (worth $47 billion) received phishing-like messages days before the funds were moved after 14 years of inactivity. The messages, disguised as legal notices, directed recipients to a fake "Salomon Brothers" website, raising suspicions of a coordinated scam. While the Bitcoin market briefly dipped, it quickly recovered, trading above $108,000. This article dives into the mysterious messages, the likely phishing attempt, and why the whale moved their fortune after over a decade.
What Happened with the $47 Billion Bitcoin Movement?
On July 4, 2025, the crypto community was stunned when 80,000 BTC—dormant since 2011—were suddenly moved to new addresses. Blockchain data revealed that days earlier (June 30–July 2), the wallets received suspicious messages mimicking legal orders. Examples included:
- "LEGAL NOTICE: We’ve taken possession of this wallet and its contents."
- "Prove ownership by signing an on-chain transaction by September 30."
- "OWNER NOTICE: Visit www[.]salomonbros[.]com/owner_notice."
The messages targeted nearly 2,000 high-value Bitcoin addresses, suggesting a broad phishing campaign. Notably, Bitcoin’s price dipped slightly post-transfer but rebounded to $108,000 by July 5.
Was the "Salomon Brothers" Website a Scam?
The messages linked to a site impersonating Salomon Brothers, a defunct bank merged into Citigroup in the 1990s. Key red flags:
- The domain was registered in 2022 and updated on July 1, 2025—days before the transfers.
- The site claimed the wallets were "abandoned" and demanded proof of ownership via private keys or a contact form.
- Its LinkedIn page had only four posts, one offering a "$200 billion opportunity" in crypto.
Security experts confirmed this as a classic phishing attempt, as no third party can seize Bitcoin without private keys.
Why Did the Whale Move Their Bitcoin After 14 Years?
Three theories emerged:
- Phishing Panic: The owner might’ve moved funds fearing the "legal notice" was real.
- Misdirection: The whale could’ve sent the messages themselves to obscure their identity.
- Coincidence: The timing may be unrelated—though unlikely given the scale.
Blockchain analysts noted the messages cost little to send, making the scam low-risk. Meanwhile, the whale’s identity remains unknown, with speculation ranging from early miners to infamous hackers.
FAQs: The $47 Billion Bitcoin Mystery
Were the messages legitimate legal notices?
No. Blockchain transactions cannot be frozen or seized without private keys. The messages were a phishing tactic.
Could the whale be Satoshi Nakamoto?
Unlikely. Satoshi’s known wallets remain untouched, and this movement pattern doesn’t match their historical behavior.
How did Bitcoin’s price react?
Prices dropped briefly to $106,000 but recovered within 24 hours, per TradingView data.
Is the Salomon Brothers site still active?
As of July 6, the domain redirects to a placeholder, suggesting it was taken down post-exposure.
What’s the lesson for crypto holders?
Never share private keys or interact with unsolicited wallet messages. Legitimate entities won’t ask for sensitive data.
