Per week into 2025, police from varied jurisdictions have apprehended fraudsters operating cryptocurrency-related schemes focusing on a whole bunch of potential victims.
On Jan. 5, Vietnamese police arrested 4 people concerned in a cryptocurrency mining rip-off that stole 4 billion Vietnamese dong ($157,300) from greater than 200 victims, according to the newspaper, VnExpress.
The suspects, led by Tran Minh Quang, allegedly developed a fraudulent crypto-mining web site known as BitMiner, with a Singapore area. The group marketed itself as a Dubai-based crypto-mining firm and supplied unrealistic funding returns.
Tran Minh Quang (left) arrested for crypto mining rip-off. Supply: VnExpress
In keeping with the report, the victims have been offered doubtful crypto-mining packages and associated instructional supplies.
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The police division of Springfield, Massachusetts, in the US, not too long ago alerted residents towards an uptick in Bitcoin (BTC) and different cryptocurrency-related scams. Whereas noting that scammers use a wide range of methods, the warning singled out crypto ATM scams:
“The scams have many alternative variations, however one particularly directs an individual to a cryptocurrency machine to insert and ship cash to the scammer. In the event you obtain a cellphone name with somebody demanding a cost in cryptocurrency or Bitcoin, please hold up.”
Springfield police division points rip-off warning crypto ATMs. Supply: Springfield PD
Along with crypto scams, authorities are additionally actively cracking down on synthetic intelligence-related crimes involving deepfakes.
On Jan. 5, Hong Kong police arrested a gaggle of 31 scammers — principally college college students — who defrauded victims of various nations and stole 34 million Hong Kong {dollars} ($4.37 million) utilizing AI deepfakes.
In keeping with a Radio Tv Hong Kong (RTHK) report, the syndicate had been working for greater than a yr, and the victims have been primarily from outdoors of Hong Kong, together with Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and the US.
Deepfake pictures generated by AI utilized by Hong Kong scammers. Supply: RTHK
A translated model of a press release from Fung Pui-kei, superintendent of the Business Crime Bureau, learn:
“They (scammers) additionally make use of the brand new expertise, like AI face-swapping expertise, to [pretend] to be some handsome women and gents to induce potential victims, achieve their belief and turn into romance relationships so as to begin the romance scams.”
Hong Kong authorities raided two areas and seized 10 million Hong Kong {dollars} price of money, purses and luxurious watches.
Whereas 5 criminals have been charged with conspiracy to defraud, others have been launched on bail.
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