The UK police are working to recover funds for a victim after a scammer successfully stole $2.8 million (£2.1 million) in BTC by impersonating a senior police officer.
The North Wales Police Cyber Crime Unit stated on Tuesday that they are investigating this BTC theft case, which "reveals a concerning new trend—criminals are beginning to specifically target long-term cryptocurrency holders who use cold storage devices."
The police further noted that the victim may have been compromised in a data breach, making this a "highly targeted and technically advanced scam case."
For a long time, police in the UK and abroad have warned the public to be cautious of scammers impersonating law enforcement or government officials. These types of attacks range from simple and direct payment requests to intricately designed multi-layered complex scams, all aimed at concealing the fraudulent nature.
North Wales Police reported that a victim was contacted by a scammer "posing as a senior UK law enforcement officer."
The scammer claimed to have arrested an individual in possession of the victim's identification documents and emphasized that this could mean the victim faced various potential security risks.
The police stated that the scammer exploited "fear and urgency," informing the victim that they needed to log into their cryptocurrency cold wallet through a link provided by a fake police officer to "ensure asset safety."
Once the scammer gained full control and access to the wallet, they withdrew $2.8 million worth of BTC.
North Wales Police indicated that they are working to trace and recover the stolen funds while providing cryptocurrency holders with guidance on how to verify the identity of real police officers and what law enforcement would typically inquire about in genuine situations.
"The police will never suddenly call to discuss your crypto assets or ask you to take action regarding cold storage devices. This is a clear danger signal," they emphasized.
The police recommend hanging up on suspicious calls and, if someone claims to be a law enforcement officer, to contact the police directly to verify the authenticity of the call. They also made it clear that the police will never ask for cryptocurrency seed phrases.
"Scammers are constantly improving new strategies," North Wales Police pointed out. "They are not only targeting novice investors but also meticulously designing complex social engineering schemes to deceive even the most cautious holders."
Earlier this month, the FBI issued a warning that scammers are impersonating cryptocurrency exchange employees, contacting potential victims and claiming there are issues with their accounts, tricking them into providing information that could be used to access their accounts.
In May of this year, the FBI warned that attackers were using AI-driven deepfake technology to send voice messages, disguising themselves as senior U.S. officials, primarily targeting current or former federal and state government employees.
Related: UK banks tighten control over crypto payments, with 40% of users reporting deposit issues
Original article: “Scammer Poses as Senior UK Officer to Steal $2.8 Million in Cryptocurrency”
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