Fake police steal 2.8 million USD Bitcoin! A precise Cold Wallet scam breaks out in the UK.

Recently, the North Wales Police in the UK disclosed that a fraudster impersonated a senior officer and successfully stole Bitcoin (BTC) worth £2.1 million (approximately $2.8 million) from the victim. This case reveals a highly sophisticated social engineering scam targeting long-term cryptocurrency holders, exploiting vulnerabilities in Cold Wallet security. The police are making every effort to track down and recover the funds.

Case Overview: Fake Police Precisely Targeted Victims

The North Wales Police Cyber Crime Unit stated that victims may be targeted due to data leaks. The fraudsters claim to be "senior law enforcement officers in the UK," falsely stating that they have arrested someone in possession of the victim's identification and phone, and warned the victim that their assets could be at risk.

After creating panic and a sense of urgency, the scammers instructed the victims to log into their Cold Wallet through a specific link to "protect their assets." The victims mistakenly believed the instructions and entered their seed phrases into a counterfeit website, resulting in the scammers taking full control of the wallet and transferring away $2.8 million worth of Bitcoin.

Scam Methods: Advanced Social Engineering + Targeted Attacks on Cold Wallets

The police pointed out that this is a highly targeted scam that combines data breaches, impersonation of authorities, and Cold Wallet phishing attacks.

Impersonation: Using the identity of a "high-ranking officer" to gain trust.

Manufacturing fear: claiming that the victim's assets have been targeted and immediate action is required.

Inducing operation: Providing fake website links to lure victims into entering their seed phrases.

Asset Transfer: Instant withdrawal and transfer of Crypto Assets, almost irreversible.

This type of scam is similar to the traditional "fake government official" scheme, but it targets seasoned holders with larger asset scales who use Cold Wallets.

Police Warning: Verify Identity, Refuse to Provide Seed Phrase

North Wales police emphasize that real law enforcement officers will not actively call to discuss crypto assets, let alone ask users to operate their Cold Wallets or provide seed phrases.

The police suggest:

1. Hang up on suspicious calls and contact the local police through official channels to verify identity.

2. Do not click on unknown links, especially those related to asset security.

3. Seed phrases are only used for wallet recovery, and anyone asking for them is a scammer.

Global Trends: Impersonation Fraud Combined with AI Technology

This case is not an isolated incident. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently warned that scammers impersonate employees of cryptocurrency exchanges or government officials, claiming there are issues with accounts, and trick users into providing their login credentials.

In May of this year, the FBI even revealed that some attackers are using AI-driven deepfake technology to create voice messages of high-ranking officials, specifically targeting financial and government personnel, making their fraud tactics more deceptive and realistic.

Conclusion

The "Fake Police Coin Theft Case" serves as a reminder to Crypto Assets holders: whether assets are stored on exchanges or in a Cold Wallet, the greatest risk often comes from social engineering scams. When faced with any requests related to asset security, always verify the identity of the other party, and remember – seed phrases should never be given to anyone. For more information on crypto security and fraud prevention guidelines, please follow the official Gate platform.