The post Scammer Poses as UK Police, Steals $2.8M in Bitcoin From Hardware Wallet appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. In brief North Wales Police are investigating a $2.8 million (£2.1 million) Bitcoin theft in which a cybercriminal posed as a senior detective. The scammer claimed that the victim’s personal details had been found on the phone of someone recently arrested, before pressuring them to “secure their funds” via a phishing link. The force noted that cybercriminals are using increasingly “sophisticated social engineering schemes” to target experienced crypto holders who use cold storage devices. Police in Wales are investigating a “staggering” $2.8 million (£2.1 million) Bitcoin theft, in which a scammer posed as a senior detective to win the victim’s confidence. In a statement, North Wales Police said the case “highlights a disturbing new trend targeting long-term crypto holders who use cold storage devices.” At this stage, it is believed the victim’s details may have been compromised in a data breach, allowing the “highly targeted and advanced scam” to take place. The victim was called by a “senior U.K. law enforcement officer” who claimed their personal details had been found on the phone of someone recently arrested. Fear and urgency tactics were used to encourage the victim to “secure their assets” by logging into their cold storage device using a phishing link. Believing they were following police instructions, they then entered their seed phrase into this “sophisticated but fake” website. It took a matter of moments for the assets to be withdrawn, and North Wales Police’s Cyber Crime Team are now trying to track the funds down. In a statement on Facebook, the force stressed that its detectives would never call members of the public to discuss their crypto holdings or cold storage device—describing this as a “big red flag.” Anyone contacted by someone claiming to be an officer is urged to hang up and call the police directly to… The post Scammer Poses as UK Police, Steals $2.8M in Bitcoin From Hardware Wallet appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. In brief North Wales Police are investigating a $2.8 million (£2.1 million) Bitcoin theft in which a cybercriminal posed as a senior detective. The scammer claimed that the victim’s personal details had been found on the phone of someone recently arrested, before pressuring them to “secure their funds” via a phishing link. The force noted that cybercriminals are using increasingly “sophisticated social engineering schemes” to target experienced crypto holders who use cold storage devices. Police in Wales are investigating a “staggering” $2.8 million (£2.1 million) Bitcoin theft, in which a scammer posed as a senior detective to win the victim’s confidence. In a statement, North Wales Police said the case “highlights a disturbing new trend targeting long-term crypto holders who use cold storage devices.” At this stage, it is believed the victim’s details may have been compromised in a data breach, allowing the “highly targeted and advanced scam” to take place. The victim was called by a “senior U.K. law enforcement officer” who claimed their personal details had been found on the phone of someone recently arrested. Fear and urgency tactics were used to encourage the victim to “secure their assets” by logging into their cold storage device using a phishing link. Believing they were following police instructions, they then entered their seed phrase into this “sophisticated but fake” website. It took a matter of moments for the assets to be withdrawn, and North Wales Police’s Cyber Crime Team are now trying to track the funds down. In a statement on Facebook, the force stressed that its detectives would never call members of the public to discuss their crypto holdings or cold storage device—describing this as a “big red flag.” Anyone contacted by someone claiming to be an officer is urged to hang up and call the police directly to…

Scammer Poses as UK Police, Steals $2.8M in Bitcoin From Hardware Wallet

In brief

  • North Wales Police are investigating a $2.8 million (£2.1 million) Bitcoin theft in which a cybercriminal posed as a senior detective.
  • The scammer claimed that the victim’s personal details had been found on the phone of someone recently arrested, before pressuring them to “secure their funds” via a phishing link.
  • The force noted that cybercriminals are using increasingly “sophisticated social engineering schemes” to target experienced crypto holders who use cold storage devices.

Police in Wales are investigating a “staggering” $2.8 million (£2.1 million) Bitcoin theft, in which a scammer posed as a senior detective to win the victim’s confidence.

In a statement, North Wales Police said the case “highlights a disturbing new trend targeting long-term crypto holders who use cold storage devices.”

At this stage, it is believed the victim’s details may have been compromised in a data breach, allowing the “highly targeted and advanced scam” to take place.

The victim was called by a “senior U.K. law enforcement officer” who claimed their personal details had been found on the phone of someone recently arrested.

Fear and urgency tactics were used to encourage the victim to “secure their assets” by logging into their cold storage device using a phishing link.

Believing they were following police instructions, they then entered their seed phrase into this “sophisticated but fake” website.

It took a matter of moments for the assets to be withdrawn, and North Wales Police’s Cyber Crime Team are now trying to track the funds down.

In a statement on Facebook, the force stressed that its detectives would never call members of the public to discuss their crypto holdings or cold storage device—describing this as a “big red flag.”

Anyone contacted by someone claiming to be an officer is urged to hang up and call the police directly to verify whether the contact is genuine.

The post went on to stress that legitimate companies and law enforcement officials would never ask for a seed phrase, either.

Scam tactics evolving

North Wales Police said the case illustrates that scammers are constantly evolving their tactics—and even experienced investors must remain vigilant.

“They are not just targeting new investors; they are crafting sophisticated social engineering schemes to trick even the most diligent holders,” the post concluded.

Cybercriminals around the world are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to target crypto holders. Earlier this month, the FBI warned that scammers are masquerading as law firms to target victims of previous crypto thefts, and advised the public to adopt a “zero trust model.”

Last year, British police forces were given advanced powers to seize crypto from criminals, but recovering these funds is far from guaranteed.

Earlier this month, Lancashire Constabulary revealed that it had managed to recoup funds stolen in December 2017 and converted into Bitcoin by the thieves. The victim was later made whole, with the force receiving a $665,000 windfall because the criminals’ Bitcoin holdings had grown in value.

Daily Debrief Newsletter

Start every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.

Source: https://decrypt.co/336043/scammer-poses-as-uk-police-steals-2-8m-in-bitcoin-from-hardware-wallet

Market Opportunity
ANyONe Protocol Logo
ANyONe Protocol Price(ANYONE)
$0.1293
$0.1293$0.1293
-3.29%
USD
ANyONe Protocol (ANYONE) Live Price Chart
Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact crypto.news@mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

OCC Advances Crypto Oversight Ahead Of 2027 GENIUS Act Rollout

OCC Advances Crypto Oversight Ahead Of 2027 GENIUS Act Rollout

The US banking regulator has taken a major step toward formalizing crypto oversight. The GENIUS Act rulemaking process now begins as regulators seek structured
Share
Coinfomania2026/02/26 18:31
3 Paradoxes of Altcoin Season in September

3 Paradoxes of Altcoin Season in September

The post 3 Paradoxes of Altcoin Season in September appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Analyses and data indicate that the crypto market is experiencing its most active altcoin season since early 2025, with many altcoins outperforming Bitcoin. However, behind this excitement lies a paradox. Most retail investors remain uneasy as their portfolios show little to no profit. This article outlines the main reasons behind this situation. Altcoin Market Cap Rises but Dominance Shrinks Sponsored TradingView data shows that the TOTAL3 market cap (excluding BTC and ETH) reached a new high of over $1.1 trillion in September. Yet the share of OTHERS (excluding the top 10) has declined since 2022, now standing at just 8%. OTHERS Dominance And TOTAL3 Capitalization. Source: TradingView. In past cycles, such as 2017 and 2021, TOTAL3 and OTHERS.D rose together. That trend reflected capital flowing not only into large-cap altcoins but also into mid-cap and low-cap ones. The current divergence shows that capital is concentrated in stablecoins and a handful of top-10 altcoins such as SOL, XRP, BNB, DOG, HYPE, and LINK. Smaller altcoins receive far less liquidity, making it hard for their prices to return to levels where investors previously bought. This creates a situation where only a few win while most face losses. Retail investors also tend to diversify across many coins instead of adding size to top altcoins. That explains why many portfolios remain stagnant despite a broader market rally. Sponsored “Position sizing is everything. Many people hold 25–30 tokens at once. A 100x on a token that makes up only 1% of your portfolio won’t meaningfully change your life. It’s better to make a few high-conviction bets than to overdiversify,” analyst The DeFi Investor said. Altcoin Index Surges but Investor Sentiment Remains Cautious The Altcoin Season Index from Blockchain Center now stands at 80 points. This indicates that over 80% of the top 50 altcoins outperformed…
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2025/09/18 01:43
Vitalik Buterin details ethereum strawmap roadmap for faster slots, finality and quantum-safe upgrades

Vitalik Buterin details ethereum strawmap roadmap for faster slots, finality and quantum-safe upgrades

Examining ethereum strawmap, this piece shows base-layer upgrades could speed finality and strengthen quantum-resistant security by 2029.
Share
The Cryptonomist2026/02/26 17:19