U.S. State Police Crack Down on Cryptocurrency Fraud Cases Involving Over $4.9 Million
Recently, U.S. law enforcement achieved a major breakthrough in a nationwide cryptocurrency scam involving "wrong number texts." The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) successfully identified 33 victims, with the amount involved exceeding $4.9 million. Currently, police are conducting in-depth investigations into five other suspected accounts, and more victims are expected to come to light.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio has taken direct action, requesting the seizure of $8.2 million worth of Tether (USDT).
These scammers use a rather simple tactic; they send random texts, pretending to be strangers from misdialed calls, and then engage in conversations about life and ideals. Once trust is established, they begin to lure victims into investing in seemingly "risk-free" cryptocurrency projects. However, once the funds are invested, they vanish without a trace.
In Mentor, Ohio, a woman named AH unfortunately fell into this scam trap. Last November, she unexpectedly received a "wrong number" text from someone claiming to be from Seattle. After some exchanges, the two seemed to become "confidants," and then quickly shifted to the topic of inducing her to invest in digital currency, claiming it was a "sure thing."
Thus, AH trusted the other party, opened an account on Crypto.com, and invested $250,000, and was instructed to transfer the funds into a specific cryptocurrency wallet. Unfortunately, once the funds were in place, the scammers disappeared without a trace.
After receiving the report, the FBI acted swiftly, using blockchain technology to trace the flow of funds. Through detailed investigations, they discovered that all the scam proceeds had been converted into USDT.
The FBI then, with assistance from Tether, applied to the court for a freezing order, forcing the scammers to return the funds. Ultimately, the $8.2 million was transferred to three designated addresses, prepared for return to the victims.
Police remind the public not to easily believe in the "get rich quick" myths spun by strangers, and to remain calm and think twice before making transfers.
Have you encountered a similar "wrong number text" scam? What do you think are the biggest warnings when it comes to cryptocurrency investments? Share your thoughts in the comments!