Virtually $600,000 in Bitcoin (BTC) has been stolen from customers who downloaded a faux Ledger Are living software on Microsoft’s app retailer, in accordance to cryptocurrency sleuth ZachXBT.
The on-chain analyst noticed the rip-off, “Ledger Are living Web3” on Nov. 5, which is tricking customers into considering that they’re downloading “Ledger Are living” — a consumer interface for Ledger {hardware} wallets to retailer cryptocurrency offline.
Roughly 16.8 BTC price $588,000 has been gained via the scammer throughout 38 transactions the usage of pockets cope with, “bc1q….y64q,” in accordance to Blockchain.com. About $115,200 has left the scammer’s pockets throughout two transactions, leaving it with $473,800 or 13.5 BTC.
Neighborhood Alert: There’s these days a faux @Ledger Are living app at the reputable @Microsoft App Retailer which used to be ended in 16.8+ BTC ($588K) stolen
Scammer cope with
bc1qg05gw43elzqxqnll8vs8x47ukkhudwyncxy64q percent.twitter.com/rOZ0ZWRWbn— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) November 5, 2023
In a apply up put up, ZachXBT famous that Microsoft could have got rid of the faux Ledger Are living app from its platform.
The primary transaction despatched to the scammer’s pockets cope with happened on Oct. 24, price $5,210. Previous to that, the pockets hadn’t been used. Some of these transactions have taken position since Nov. 2, with the biggest switch totaling $81,200 on Nov. 4.
A seek via Cointelegraph discovered the faux “Ledger Are living Web3” software seemed in Microsoft’s app retailer as early as Oct. 19.

ZachXBT mentioned they have got gained two messages from sufferers on Nov. 4 or even argued that Microsoft “must be held liable” for permitting the faux Ledger Are living app to seem in its app retailer.
Unfortunately gained two messages about this from sufferers nowadays. Turns out someone else misplaced finances in simply previous few min. percent.twitter.com/yYPbizltN5
— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) November 5, 2023
Similar: Ledger {hardware} pockets rolls out cloud-based non-public key restoration instrument
It isn’t the primary time a faux Ledger Are living app has made its method into Microsoft’s app retailer both.
Ledger’s toughen account on X (previously Twitter) knowledgeable its customers a few faux Ledger Are living app on two separate events in December and March.
Hi there #ledger customers
Beware of faux Ledger Are living apps revealed at the Microsoft Retailer
The one protected position to obtain Ledger Are living is on our web sitehttps://t.co/cDLX1rEWPf
Ledger will NEVER ask you in your 24-word restoration word ❌
Keep protected percent.twitter.com/0dXTJ7FeuO
— Ledger Give a boost to (@Ledger_Support) December 26, 2022
Ledger hasn’t commented at the rip-off however has in the past iterated to customers that the “simplest protected position” to obtain Ledger Are living is from its web site, ledger.com.
Cointelegraph reached out to Microsoft for remark however didn’t obtain a right away reaction.
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