Federal Police Seize Cryptos from WhatsApp Hackers in Argentina

The Federal Police of Argentina broke an international cybercrime network stealing cryptocurrencies through WhatsApp hacks and seized property and arrested six suspects.

In Argentina, federal officials have been able to destroy a criminal gang that engaged in massive digital fraud. The organization was hacking down WhatsApp accounts of their victims, stealing the cryptocurrencies, as well as defrauding the contacts. 

After the detailed investigation, the Federal Police detained six of its members and seized crypto assets.

The Department of Federal Investigations (DFI) of the Policemen Federal Argentina (PFA) headed the case.  Their investigation revealed a network that attacked WhatsApp accounts illegally using phishing tricks. 

Victims were tempted by bogus links that were in the form of a legitimate service. The robbers would then impersonate the accounts of people they know to defraud them.

How the Hackers Operated

The scammers worked primarily by placing fraudulent advertising on Facebook Marketplace. These spamming baits duped the users into giving personal information on spoof sites. 

After they had gained access, the hackers contacted the contacts of the victim to demand money.  The scheme has stolen over 20 million Argentine pesos and large sums of cryptocurrency.

This was investigated by the DFI, which analyzed banking records and virtual wallets to trace the transactions. The money trail was obscured through the purchase of cryptocurrencies. This approach made it hard to trace money and recover stolen resources. 

However, organized cyber patrols and social media surveillance assisted in the location of the criminals.

Arrests and Seizures

It operated in 21 locations in various provinces, such as Buenos Aires, Corrientes, Santa Fe, and Misiones. One of the places was a part of the Buenos Aires penitentiary system. 

Three men and three women were arrested as a result of the raid. Six other people who were associated with the crimes were also notified by law enforcement.

Overall, there was a great deal of evidence during the searches: computers, mobile devices, tablets, notebooks, external drives, and cryptographic hardware. Notably, they seized approximately 2,400 cryptocurrency tokens. 

The confiscated property will support the current prosecution headed by Judge Carina Alejandra Andrijasevich of the Judicial Department of La Matanza.

The breakthrough represents an improved response by Argentina to cybercrime that has been backed by the PFA Cybercrime Department. 

The crackdown destroys a complex network of fraudsters who use digital messaging to make money.