Summary
- A content creator has ensnared scammers in a never-ending maze for nearly 4,000 hours, posing as a method to redeem Bitcoin from their victims.
- The scammers face tedious CAPTCHAs, misunderstand automated calls, and spend hours on hold.
- According to the content creator, this approach is the most effective way to gather intelligence to combat malicious actors.
A streamer named Kitboga has successfully trapped scammers for almost 4,000 hours in an intricate maze that simulates a way to redeem Bitcoin from their targets.
Though primarily developed to waste scammers’ time, Kitboga shared with Decrypt that it’s an efficient strategy for collecting information that can assist in bringing scammers to justice.
Kitboga and his team engage with scammers by pretending to be vulnerable victims during phone calls, aiming to occupy their time, generate entertaining content, and extract crucial details to thwart their schemes.
Often, scammers are tasked with sending money via a Bitcoin ATM, prompting Kitboga to create a forged Bitcoin ATM receipt that is unbeatable.
Kitboga explained, “[Bitcoin ATMs] allow users to insert cash, which is then converted to cryptocurrency. Scammers view it as a quick way to steal money.” He fabricated a receipt that leads to a fake exchange, complete with a hotline number directing into his maze.
Over a year, this ruse has ensnared about 500 scammers for a total of 164 days and 17 hours—or roughly 3,953 hours. On average, a scammer spends nearly three hours in this trap, with the longest recorded wait being 156 hours.
The maze consists of frustrating tasks, like peculiar CAPTCHAs that are difficult to complete. Kitboga is currently inviting fans to design CAPTCHAs aimed at wasting time, with some requiring users to interact with a keyboard in a specific manner.
Scammers eventually must input their Bitcoin wallet details into a system that always misinterprets their entries, leading them to call the hotline, where they engage with an elaborate automated system filled with miscommunication and endless holds.
The hotline keeps the scammers occupied, ensuring they cannot target additional victims, hence the recorded loss of hours is likely understated. Kitboga mentioned that this scheme ranks as his second-best tool for consuming time, while being his most effective means of gathering valuable intelligence about criminals.
Kitboga has also played a role in freezing funds of attackers, often leading them to reputable exchanges where funds can be reported. He is currently working on new strategies to further disrupt scammers asking for gift cards or cash payments.
Initially, Kitboga began engaging scammers to protect vulnerable individuals, particularly his grandparents, from falling prey to scams. Now a well-known figure, he has amassed a significant following and decided to transition from his previous engineering job into full-time scambaiting.
After eight years, Kitboga boasts over 1.2 million Twitch followers, 3.74 million YouTube subscribers, and nearly a billion views, highlighting his success in spreading awareness about scams.
“It’s been an exciting journey,” he concluded.
