Bithumb said on Feb. 13 users should beware of phishing messages impersonating compensation guidance related to a random box bitcoin (BTC) mispayment incident that occurred on Feb. 6.

Bithumb said the compensation guidance message does not include a URL link.

It said messages displaying a URL should be regarded as smishing and require extra caution. It said all compensation is guided only through the Bithumb customer center and will not be sent from other numbers.

Bithumb said it does not ask for personal information such as IDs, passwords, security passwords or ARS verification, and it does not send texts or emails that include attachments. It said it does not ask customers to transfer virtual assets in any case.

Bithumb recommended that users do not click any URL links related to compensation, watch for messages containing keywords such as "compensation" and "damage lookup," and verify suspected smishing through the "Protector Service."

If damage occurs, such as installing a malicious app or transferring funds, it said users should immediately report it to 112 and request a payment suspension through relevant agencies.

A Bithumb official said, "As smishing attempts exploiting the incident have been confirmed, please never click URLs from unclear sources." The official added, "We will put user protection first and work with relevant agencies to do our utmost to prevent damage."