UPDATE: A reddit user reports calling the number originally provided in the bankruptcy announcement. The person answering the call at the other end, who spoke "an impeccable English", confirmed that the message was placed there by "legal" and the site wasn't hacked". Thereafter:
"I called the number again (about an hour later) - again, absolutely no waiting - I called again to ask about my transaction history. The same man answered, with the American accent (although sounded Japanese), who spoke impeccable English. He said that the transaction history is still unavailable because the courts still have to "polish" it (whatever that means). I said I needed it for taxation purposes. He replied by saying he will 'check on this, and post an update on the website soon'".
Heading over to www.mtgox.com, you can apparently now login "to see your wallet(s) balance":
There was no advance warning or announcement from MtGox & Co about this development. One user on reddit discovered it through Jerry the Robot's MTGOX Watch.
Discussion abounds on reddit as to whether this is yet another hacking or even a phishing attempt. However, the page does appear genuine, although there is no 2-factor authentication. Several users confirmed that the amounts shown were correct. Some noted that attempted transfers towards the end were not accounted for. Others speculated that the balances shown can only be correct if some of their trades are rolled back.
If legitimate, it really begs the question of what was the rationale behind this. If MtGox is already in possession of the information, it should take no more than the expressed interest of a claimant for consideration as a creditor.
This comes as the reach of ongoing legal action spreads, with Canadian users of the defunct exchange also filing a class-action suit. In the U.S., the suit was amended late last week to include Mizuho Bank, part of the second largest financial group in Japan and one of the three Japanese "megabanks". The bank was included because “all non-Bitcoin currency received by the Mt. Gox Defendants from its users was held in an account or accounts with Mizuho Bank Ltd."
