In a recent revelation by crypto detective ZachXBT, a notorious Canadian scammer named Yahya has been exposed for his alleged involvement in over 17 SIM swap attacks, leading to a staggering theft of more than $4.5 million.
Yahya’s Operation Details
Yahya’s role in the operation involved conducting extensive account searches on various platforms, including X/Twitter, using his panel. This allowed another scammer, Skenkir, to identify potential targets in the United States for SIM swap attacks. The Canadian scammerreceived a cut from the funds obtained in each successful attack, and his activities came to light after a collaboration with fellow scammer HZ led to the defrauding of an individual named Amir of $250,000 (equivalent to 136 ETH).
ZachXBT meticulously traced Yahya’s activities back to a common thread – a wallet address linked to the fraudulent transactions and the control panel scam. This discovery effectively linked all of Yahya’s SIM swap attacks, shedding light on his extensive criminal endeavors.
Victims and Losses
The scammer’s victims included prominent figures in the crypto community, such as GCG team member, Bitboy Crypto (Ben Armstrong), Slingshot, and PleasrDAO core team member Jamis, who recently suffered a traumatic brain injury. The losses incurred by these victims amounted to a substantial sum, highlighting the devastating impact of SIM swap attacks.
ZachXBT also uncovered Yahya’s extravagant spending habits, including purchases of luxury watches and unreleased songs by Juice WRLD. Despite his criminal activities, Yahya displayed little remorse for his actions when confronted.
Interestingly, before resorting to illegal activities, the scammer had made contributions to Benzinga, a reputable financial news website. The motivations behind his involvement in SIM swap attacks remain puzzling, especially considering the high risks involved and the inevitable exposure of his identity.
