Kent Residents Lose Over £1 Million to Cryptocurrency Scammers
Scammers in Kent, England have stolen over £1 million ($1.2 million) from nine residents using personal information obtained through a data breach.
Kent Police issued a warning on March 1st about ongoing cryptocurrency scams. Fraudsters created fake reports from Action Fraud to impersonate law enforcement and informed victims they were under investigation.
Victims Coerced into Sharing Wallet Seed Phrases
Victims received follow-up calls from individuals posing as "security officers" who coerced them into revealing their crypto wallet seed phrases. The scammers then accessed and drained the wallets, making the funds unrecoverable.
Police Issue Warning Against Sharing Personal Information
Detective Sergeant Darryll Paulson urged residents not to share personal information with anyone claiming to be law enforcement or crypto service providers over the phone. He emphasized the importance of being cautious and skeptical.
- Total losses exceeded $1.2 million across nine victims.
- Victims should report scams promptly without embarrassment.
- Crypto users must never share wallet seed phrases to protect their assets.