#Safety #scamriskwarning #CryptoCrimes #IfYouAreNewToBinance
📉 Major Crypto Scams & Crimes This Month
1. Telegram‑based USDT laundering & scam gang busted in India
A cybercrime unit in Lucknow dismantled a Telegram-run gang (mostly Chinese nationals) laundering ₹75–80 lakh (~$90–100k) via USDT transactions to mule accounts over just two months. No KYC or documentation was used, making tracing very difficult cryptorank.io+15thecondia.com+15beincrypto.com+15timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
2. $245 million Bitcoin theft & kidnapping plot in Connecticut
19‑year‑old Veer Chetal pleaded guilty to a massive crypto heist—stealing 4,000 BTC (~$245M) through impersonation scams. In a dramatic twist, his parents were later abducted in a ransom attempt aimed at extorting him for the crypto proceeds newstimes.com.
3. Bengaluru cop with 13 crypto wallets used in extortion
A Bangalore police constable reportedly had 13 crypto wallets linked to extortion schemes targeting government officials. Police froze the wallets and are investigating a wider network possibly involving senior officers timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
4. $90 million political hack on Iranian exchange
Ancestor-linked hackers (Predatory Sparrow / Gonjeshke Darande) hit Iran’s Nobitex exchange, stealing over $90M in BTC, ETH, DOGE—and then “burning” it via inaccessible wallets. This appears politically motivated amid Israel-Iran tensions timesofindia.indiatimes.com+4wired.com+4apnews.com+4.
5. Mohali call‑centre crypto scam: ₹50 crore hit
Police raided a call‑centre in Mohali that scammed investors out of ₹50 crore (~$6M), by sending fake alerts about unauthorized crypto transactions. Victims were pressured into transferring money via vouchers and gift cards timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
6. Bangkok raid on crypto “investment” scammers
Thai authorities busted a scam ring targeting Australians—13 arrested for operating a fake investment call‑centre that defrauded over $1.9M, then converted funds into crypto to obscure transfers news.com.au.
🔍 Broader Trends & Patterns This Month
AI‑powered scams & deepfakes: A Q1 2025 report flagged at least 87 deepfake scam rings dismantled across Asia. AI-enabled impersonations of public figures (e.g. Elon Musk, government officials) are being used to promote fake investment platforms coinedition.com+3cointelegraph.com+3beincrypto.com+3.
Phishing & SMS fraud surging: Phishing losses hit $364M in April, with $5M lost to wallet‑draining attacks. SMS phishing scams mimicking crypto exchanges rose ~50% .
Recovery‑scam tactics: After Nigeria’s collapsed CBEX ponzi (~$650M losses), scammers are contacting victims for “activation fees” to recover funds—a classic recovery scam strategy thecondia.com.
🛡️ Key Tips to Protect Yourself
Never trust voice or video calls claiming to be officials—especially those prompting you to share wallet keys.
Verify URLs and send addresses meticulously, and avoid granting unlimited token approvals en.wikipedia.org+2beincrypto.com+2cointelegraph.com+2blog.visiion.io+1ainvest.com+1.
Enable robust 2FA (authenticator app preferred), and treat SMS alerts suspiciously reddit.com+2cryptorank.io+2blog.visiion.io+2.
Be wary of “lost funds” recovery schemes that ask you to pay to access old investments.
Use separate wallets for high-risk interactions, such as airdrops or unfamiliar platforms.
Crypto crime remains rampant—June saw multi-million-dollar scams, state‑level extortions, politically charged hacks, and advanced AI‑driven deception. Staying vigilant, verifying every contact, and limiting exposure are essential.
