- Crypto community leaders urge caution for attendees at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas following recent crimes in the industry.
- Experts advise avoiding QR codes and public Wi-Fi due to risks of Malware and phishing attacks.
- Attendees are encouraged to delay posting on social media and disable location tagging to prevent being tracked.
- Recommendations include watching personal belongings, avoiding USB ports in hotels, and removing conference lanyards when leaving.
- Reports highlight incidents involving drink spiking, physical theft, and scams involving social situations.
Members of the cryptocurrency community are issuing safety warnings for those planning to attend the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas. The advice follows a string of incidents this year involving crypto-related robberies, kidnappings, and data breaches.
Caitlin Long, founder of Custodia Bank, recommends attendees avoid scanning QR codes at the event and refrain from connecting to any Wi-Fi networks, even those provided by hotels. Long suggests, “assume they’re all malicious,” and also reminds visitors to keep an eye on their drinks to reduce the risk of tampering.
Some QR codes have been used in scams, including on parking meters, directing users to fraudulent sites that can steal money or personal information. Long’s tip to watch your drink comes after an incident last year in which a crypto firm dismissed an employee accused of drugging a job applicant.
Cybersecurity engineer Ron Stoner also cautions against posting real-time photos on social media that could reveal an attendee’s location. Stoner says photos should only be posted after leaving the conference area and that permission should be obtained before sharing images of others. Another recommendation is to disable location tagging on smartphone cameras.
Others in the crypto space suggest avoiding accepting items from strangers and not using USB ports in hotel rooms due to the risk of malware. Attendees are also advised to remove conference lanyards before leaving the venue. One user warns that wearing a lanyard outside the event could make someone a target for theft.
Security threats discussed include so-called “wrench attacks,” meaning theft or extortion carried out by physical force, and possible drink spiking with substances such as Scopolamine, although the drug’s true effects remain disputed.
Some comments in the community take these warnings lightly, joking about paying kidnappers in advance or noting that “everyone in bitcoin is a conman.” Another reminder emphasizes not to bring strangers, including sex workers, back to hotel rooms; earlier this year, a person reportedly lost $300,000 in cryptocurrency in such a scenario.
Attendees who hold large crypto balances are advised to stay alert, verify website URLs, avoid sharing security keys, and be cautious when interacting with unfamiliar individuals. Additional security advice, including avoiding promotional wristbands and watching for suspicious characters, rounds out the recommendations from the crypto community.
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