HotNews No. 91: SCAM OF THE CENTURY How Fake Google Operators Stole 243 Million in a Single Call!

In August 2024, three hackers—Greavys (Malone Lam), Box (Jeandiel Serrano), and Wiz (Veer Chetal)—managed to steal an astonishing $243 million in cryptocurrencies using social engineering and sophisticated fraud techniques. Their target was a creditor of Genesis, with the Gemini exchange playing a key role in the scam, known for its security. The hackers used fake calls and manipulations to gain access to the victim’s account, redirecting funds to their compromised wallets.

The attack began on August 19, 2024, when the hackers impersonated Google support, falsely claiming that the victim’s account had been hacked. They convinced the victim to reset their two-factor authentication (2FA) and transfer funds to another wallet under their control. They utilized AnyDesk screen-sharing software to gain access to the victim’s private keys in their Bitcoin account. That day, they transferred 4064 BTC, equivalent to $243 million.

Investigator ZachXBT, along with the police and the IT security team at Binance, identified the attackers using OSINT (open-source intelligence) techniques. By analyzing digital traces, they discovered that the hackers used multiple exchanges to launder money through crypto mixers. Key moments in the investigation included mistakes made by the attackers during screen sharing, which allowed investigators to connect them to the stolen funds.

Malone Lam (Greavys) boasted about his newfound wealth on social media, while all three played specific roles in this sophisticated scam. Thanks to the efforts of ZachXBT and the Binance security team, over $9 million has been frozen, and more than $500,000 has already been returned to the victim. Greavys and Box were arrested in Miami and Los Angeles, while the investigation continues.

Malone Lam (20, Greavys) and Jeandiel Serrano (21, Box) were arrested on September 19, 2024, and charged with conspiracy to commit theft and laundering over $230 million. The third member of the group, Veer Chetal (Wiz), was not explicitly mentioned in the indictment. The investigation is ongoing, and the arrests were carried out by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation, with support from FBI field offices.

Your DefendMe Team