In a bizarre turn of events, a crypto thief who swiped a whopping $68 million worth of Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) has returned a small portion of the loot – $153,000 in Ether – to the victim.

This Robin Hood act comes after the attacker, using the alias "FakePhishing327990" on Etherscan, successfully tricked the victim into sending the hefty sum via an address-poisoning scam.

A Ransom Note in the Blockchain

The ill-gotten gains came with a twist: a message expressing a willingness to negotiate. This digital ransom note urged the victim to contact the attacker on Telegram.

The victim, whose account ends in 8fD5, wasn't shy. Blockchain records show they reached out, proposing a deal: 90% of the stolen funds returned in exchange for a 10% bounty and a promise to avoid legal action. They also emphasized the attacker's trail would be eventually be traced and gave them a deadline to decide.

The attacker, seemingly open to bargaining, responded by sending back 51 Ether as a token of good faith. This small sum was accompanied by another message pushing for negotiation and requesting the victim's Telegram handle.

A Reminder: Vigilance is Key

While this story has an unexpected twist, it serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present dangers in the crypto world. The attack itself was a sophisticated "address poisoning" scheme, where the attacker used a smart contract to trick the victim into sending their WBTC by creating a look-alike address.

Security experts advise extreme caution when making any crypto transactions. Double and triple-check the sending address before hitting confirm – it could save you millions (or at least a small consolation prize).

The plot thickens as this negotiation unfolds. Will the stolen millions be returned? Only time and the blockchain will tell. But one thing's for sure: in the wild west of crypto, even thieves can surprise you.