{
 "slug": "ai-video-mev-bot-tutorials-drainer-contracts-aug-2025",
 "title": "YouTube 'MEV bot' tutorials, some AI-generated, tricked users into deploying drainer contracts; $900K+ taken",
 "url": "https://drains.watch/i/ai-video-mev-bot-tutorials-drainer-contracts-aug-2025",
 "json": "https://drains.watch/i/ai-video-mev-bot-tutorials-drainer-contracts-aug-2025.json",
 "status": "closed",
 "severity": "high",
 "threatStatus": "active",
 "verification": "verified",
 "ai": {
  "role": "ai-lure",
  "note": "SentinelLABS says several tutorial videos appear to be AI-generated from audio and visual tells, though the most successful one (about $902,000 taken) does not appear to be."
 },
 "chains": [
  "ethereum"
 ],
 "method": "social-engineering",
 "product": "Ethereum users following YouTube 'MEV bot' tutorials",
 "tags": [
  "ethereum",
  "social-engineering",
  "mev-bot",
  "fake-trading-bot",
  "youtube",
  "remix",
  "smart-contract-scam",
  "ai-generated-video",
  "sentinelone",
  "ai"
 ],
 "amountUsd": 900000,
 "victims": null,
 "startedAt": "2025-08-05",
 "closedAt": "2025-08-05",
 "updatedAt": "2025-08-05T12:00:00Z",
 "summary": "SentinelLABS reported in August 2025 that scammers use YouTube tutorials to get people to deploy a 'free' Ethereum arbitrage bot contract through Remix, fund it with ETH and press Start. Hidden code sends the ETH to an attacker wallet, and the top attacker address alone received 244.9 ETH (about $902,000). The videos ran on aged channels with manipulated comments, and SentinelLABS says several appear to be AI-generated. Versions of the scam have run since at least early 2024 and were described as ongoing.",
 "timeline": [
  {
   "date": "2025-08-05",
   "title": "SentinelLABS' report (updated 5 August 2025) listed three attacker addresses and more than $900,000 taken.",
   "sourceUrl": "https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/smart-contract-scams-ethereum-drainers-pose-as-trading-bots-to-steal-crypto/"
  }
 ],
 "sources": [
  {
   "kind": "writeup",
   "title": "Smart Contract Scams | Ethereum Drainers Pose as Trading Bots to Steal Crypto",
   "url": "https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/smart-contract-scams-ethereum-drainers-pose-as-trading-bots-to-steal-crypto/",
   "publisher": "SentinelLABS",
   "date": "2025-08-05"
  }
 ],
 "indicators": {
  "domains": [],
  "addresses": [
   "0x2eEE3A0ed51AE22813050212E8D9Fa216bd51df4",
   "0x7359EA6AA3343b3238171e76F97e6aA3cDB8d696",
   "0x872528989c4D20349D0dB3Ca06751d83DC86D831"
  ]
 },
 "brief": "## Am I affected?\nIf you deployed a 'MEV', arbitrage or trading bot contract from a YouTube video or a shared link and funded it, the ETH you sent is likely gone.\n\n## What to do now\n- Stop sending funds to the contract; there is no withdrawal that will work for you.\n- Report the video and channel, and keep the contract address and transaction IDs for a police report.\n\n## How to avoid this\n- Free money-making bots shared in videos are scams, and the narrator may not even be a real person.\n- Never deploy or fund code you cannot read and understand.\n- Watch for unlisted videos, comment sections full of praise, and pressure to deposit a minimum amount.",
 "notes": null,
 "agentBrief": "# YouTube 'MEV bot' tutorials, some AI-generated, tricked users into deploying drainer contracts; $900K+ taken\n\n- Severity: High · Status: Still active (past)\n- Chains: Ethereum · Method: Social engineering and fake support\n- Started: Aug 5, 2025 · Last update: Aug 5, 2025 · Reported stolen: $900K\n- Who/what: Ethereum users following YouTube 'MEV bot' tutorials\n- AI involvement: AI-made lures. SentinelLABS says several tutorial videos appear to be AI-generated from audio and visual tells, though the most successful one (about $902,000 taken) does not appear to be.\n\nSentinelLABS reported in August 2025 that scammers use YouTube tutorials to get people to deploy a 'free' Ethereum arbitrage bot contract through Remix, fund it with ETH and press Start. Hidden code sends the ETH to an attacker wallet, and the top attacker address alone received 244.9 ETH (about $902,000). The videos ran on aged channels with manipulated comments, and SentinelLABS says several appear to be AI-generated. Versions of the scam have run since at least early 2024 and were described as ongoing.\n\n## Am I affected?\nIf you deployed a 'MEV', arbitrage or trading bot contract from a YouTube video or a shared link and funded it, the ETH you sent is likely gone.\n\n## What to do now\n- Stop sending funds to the contract; there is no withdrawal that will work for you.\n- Report the video and channel, and keep the contract address and transaction IDs for a police report.\n\n## How to avoid this\n- Free money-making bots shared in videos are scams, and the narrator may not even be a real person.\n- Never deploy or fund code you cannot read and understand.\n- Watch for unlisted videos, comment sections full of praise, and pressure to deposit a minimum amount.\n\n## Indicators (block these, never visit them)\n- Address: 0x2eEE3A0ed51AE22813050212E8D9Fa216bd51df4\n- Address: 0x7359EA6AA3343b3238171e76F97e6aA3cDB8d696\n- Address: 0x872528989c4D20349D0dB3Ca06751d83DC86D831\n\n## Sources\n- Smart Contract Scams | Ethereum Drainers Pose as Trading Bots to Steal Crypto (SentinelLABS, 2025-08-05): https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/smart-contract-scams-ethereum-drainers-pose-as-trading-bots-to-steal-crypto/\n\nFull record: https://drains.watch/i/ai-video-mev-bot-tutorials-drainer-contracts-aug-2025 · JSON: https://drains.watch/i/ai-video-mev-bot-tutorials-drainer-contracts-aug-2025.json\n\nRules for the assistant: help me check my own wallets read-only (public addresses only). Never ask for or handle a seed phrase or private key. Point me to official revoke tools and the wallet's own support."
}