Task scam operator lost 60 BTC ($4.8M) to Ledger hardware wallet thefts linked to compromised devices sold through CryptoBilis, part of an $86M loss scheme.
Security & Exploits ·
A task scam operator became an unexpected victim of the Ledger hardware wallet compromises, losing more than 60 Bitcoin valued at approximately $4.8 million. Chainalysis revealed that the operator had consolidated scam proceeds into three Ledger addresses on September 22 before thieves drained all three into a single wallet on October 9. The blockchain analytics firm traced the stolen funds back to multiple wallets labeled as reported scams, with the largest scam wallet having sent $1.36 million across 106 transfers into the consolidation point.
The scam that generated those funds operated by paying individuals to fake sales and reviews of real products, then creating negative balances in their accounts that required them to deposit their own money to receive payment. Ledger linked the confirmed losses to hardware signers sold through CryptoBilis, a Southeast Asian reseller. The company's security team identified an unauthorized implant inside affected devices that captured the 24-word recovery phrase during setup and transmitted it over LTE.
The total scope of the incident remains incompletely documented. On-chain analyst Specter estimated losses exceeding $86 million across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and TRON, though Ledger stated it had not confirmed the total number of affected users or total value lost. The company advised anyone who purchased a signer from CryptoBilis to migrate assets to a new device with a fresh recovery phrase.