A detailed account of a scammer known as "Ape 31" who has defrauded over 250 individuals, amounting to more than $650,000 through various fraudulent methods on the X (formerly Twitter) platform and Telegram. Hereâs a summary of the critical points:
1. Modus Operandi:
- @Ape31 uses demo account screenshots from Bybit and fake profit and loss (#PNL ) screenshots to lure victims into paying for copy trading services.
- Victims are convinced to send $250 to $500 initially and then pressured into sending larger sums by claiming there is no liquidation price and offering unrealistic returns.
- After receiving payment, #Ape31 blocks the victims on X and Telegram.
2. Notable Examples:
- One victim sent $500 and was later blackmailed into sending $20K, believing in fake profits.
- Another victim sent $3,000 after being promised a "risk-free" investment with a 10x return, only to be ghosted.
- A third victim was scammed for $500 but managed to track an IP address used by *Ape 31*, traced back to a UK Telecom service.
3. Technical Evidence:
- Ape 31 utilizes multiple wallets across exchanges like Kucoin, Kraken, Bitget, OKX, and MEXC, frequently rotating deposit addresses to avoid detection.
- The IP address 81.78.179.107, linked to Ealing, UK, Vodafone Limited, and the Telegram ID and X user ID details, further point to the scamâs extent.
4. Victim Engagement:
- Several victims shared conversations and transaction details with you, revealing similar patterns of deception involving fake OTC deals, high returns promises, and eventual ghosting.
5. Scammer's Identity:
- Uses the fake name "Omar" and claims a fake location in Singapore.
- Has used various pseudonyms and account names on X and Telegram, constantly changing them to evade detection.
6. Support for Law Enforcement:
- The details provided include wallet addresses, centralized exchange accounts, and related identifiers which could help trace the funds and support legal action.
- Youâve expressed hope that this information will assist law enforcement in identifying the scammer.
This comprehensive documentation highlights a wide-reaching scam affecting numerous victims, leveraging social media platforms and cryptocurrency exchanges to commit fraud. Sharing this data with appropriate authorities and online platforms could potentially lead to investigations and further actions against the perpetrator.
