Wow… that’s a **massive cautionary tale** in crypto! 😳 Here’s a breakdown of what happened and some key takeaways:
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### **What Happened**
1. **Testing phase:**
The victim wisely tested with $50 USDT, sending it to their own wallet. That seemed normal.
2. **Scammer trick:**
The scammer created a **look-alike wallet** with the **same first and last characters** as the victim’s wallet. This is called a **“typo-squatting” or “address spoofing” scam**.
3. **The catastrophic copy-paste:**
The victim copied the “poisoned” address from transaction history, thinking it was their own, and sent **$49.9 million USDT** straight to the scammer. 💸
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### **Lessons Learned**
* **Always verify wallet addresses carefully**: Even the smallest change can redirect your funds.
* **Use QR codes when possible**: Reduces risk of invisible typos.
* **Double-check transactions with a small amount**: But ensure the test is sent to the **correct address**, not from a copy-paste history that could be compromised.
* **Enable whitelisting if your platform supports it**: Only allow transfers to pre-approved addresses.
* **Be extra cautious with large transfers**: Even a tiny mistake can cost millions.
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💡 Crypto doesn’t have “chargebacks.” Mistakes like this are **irreversible**, which is why human error is so dangerous.
If you want, I can make a **short viral-style Twitter thread** about this incident to warn people effectively. It’ll grab attention and educate at the same time. Do you want me to do that?
