ChainCatcher news, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been investigating a cryptocurrency pig butchering scheme involving $5 million since August, targeting 71 victims through fraudulent investment plans. Court documents reveal that the scammers used fake social media profiles to lure individuals into a fraudulent trading platform called Bitkanant.In August, federal prosecutors in North Carolina executed a search warrant and seized an unmanaged USDT wallet worth over $4.99 million, which initiated the investigation. These funds are currently held by the U.S. Marshals Service.

ChainCatcher message, Meme project Shiba Inu (SHIB) anonymous chief developer Shytoshi Kusama warns users to be aware of a recent scam, where scammers are purchasing X accounts from community members previously followed by Shytoshi Kusama for 1 ETH, renaming them to scam tokens, and launching fake tokens, claiming the project is community-driven. Shytoshi Kusama stated that a system related to Karma and Reputation with DAO governance will be launched to ensure that good behavior is rewarded and bad behavior is recorded.

ChainCatcher message, a fraudulent application named "Curve defi v3" developed by "Tao Duong Van," misleads users by imitating the DeFi platform Curve Finance's branding and features, and it ranks among the top 100 financial applications in the Apple App Store. Despite being flagged as a scam by multiple users, the application remains popular in regions such as Europe, Latin America, New Zealand, the United States, and Southeast Asia, putting unsuspecting users at risk.

ChainCatcher News, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in the United States recently dismissed a homeowner's lawsuit against the insurance company Lemonade Insurance. The homeowner claimed that the insurance company should compensate for a loss of $170,000 due to a cryptocurrency scam. However, the court ruled that under Virginia law, homeowners insurance only covers "direct physical loss," and digital theft of cryptocurrency does not meet this definition.The judge noted that the insurance company had fulfilled its compensation obligations under the relevant terms of the policy, providing $500 for electronic transfer theft compensation.

ChainCatcher news, according to Protos, victims of the Omegapro cryptocurrency pyramid scheme have filed lawsuits against several well-known football players, accusing them of participating in the promotion of the project. The players involved include Vinicius Jr., Ronaldhino, Luis Figo, and others.Omegapro is a Dubai-based crypto investment company that promised investors astonishing returns of up to 300% within 14 months. Through marketing strategies and celebrity endorsements, the company attracted nearly 3 million customers and raised $4 billion. However, countries such as France, Belgium, Spain, and Peru have issued fraud warnings against Omegapro, and the Spanish Securities Market Commission has listed it among opaque financial enterprises.Despite clear warnings, about 20 active and retired football players still participated in the promotion of the project, including Kaká, Carles Puyol, Roberto Carlos, and Fernando Hierro. Lawyer and investigator Lars Olofsson stated that all football players involved in Omegapro activities will face lawsuits in London.Additionally, Spain also plans to sue these players, but it is currently unclear whether the lawsuits can be established in local courts.

ChainCatcher news, a large-scale cryptocurrency scam trial has begun in Nancy, France, with over 20 defendants accused of deceiving 1,300 victims through fake cryptocurrency and diamond investment schemes. The scam has stolen a total of 28 million euros (approximately 30 million dollars).Colman Law Firm, representing about 100 plaintiffs, stated that one victim lost 400,000 euros in the "diamond savings plan." Investigators revealed that the defendants had a total of 199 bank accounts in 19 countries used for transferring funds, with approximately 2.8 million euros recovered, which may be used to compensate the victims.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, Indian actress Tamannaah Bhatia has been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of India for allegedly promoting the "HPZ Token" platform, which is accused of deceiving investors through a cryptocurrency scheme. Authorities are investigating whether she supported the scam and whether she promoted IPL content related to illegal gambling. It remains unclear whether Tamannaah Bhatia is involved, but the investigation is ongoing.Tamannaah Bhatia had previously been questioned in Maharashtra for similar allegations. Investigators looked into her promotion of the Fairplay betting application, which is under investigation for encouraging the viewing of IPL matches related to illegal gambling.Reports suggest that Tamannaah Bhatia promoted IPL content on Fairplay, raising concerns about her role in supporting questionable activities. Investigators are also reviewing her appearances in HPZ Token events, where she received appearance fees, to determine whether her endorsement helped legitimize the platform, which is now allegedly part of a scam.

ChainCatcher News: The U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina sentenced Indian citizen Chirag Tomar (31 years old) to 5 years in prison and 2 years of probation for committing a cryptocurrency fraud of over $20 million by spoofing the Coinbase exchange website.U.S. prosecutors stated that since June 2021, Tomar and his accomplices have defrauded hundreds of victims worldwide by impersonating the Coinbase Pro website (using similar domain names like CoinbasePro.com). The scam group stole user login credentials through phishing websites or impersonated customer service to trick users into providing two-factor authentication codes, thereby illegally accessing the victims' real Coinbase accounts and transferring cryptocurrency.In February 2022, a victim in the Western District of North Carolina was defrauded of cryptocurrency worth over $240,000 when logging into the spoofed website. Tomar converted the stolen cryptocurrency into cash to purchase luxury watches, high-end cars, and extravagant trips.Previously, Tomar was arrested on December 20, 2023, upon entering Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and pleaded guilty on May 20, 2024.

ChainCatcher news, the Hong Kong police have launched an operation called "Code Words" to make arrests, assisted by personnel from the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau in gathering evidence related to online and cryptocurrency transactions. They have dismantled a local scam group involved in cryptocurrency, arresting 27 individuals and defrauding a total of up to 360 million Hong Kong dollars. Superintendent Yiu Wing-kin from the New Territories South Criminal Headquarters stated that the scam group primarily used online romantic relationships to lure victims into investing in cryptocurrency. To facilitate their fraudulent activities, the group employed technology specialists, including graduates from local universities majoring in digital media, for technical support, and collaborated with overseas scammers to set up a fake cryptocurrency platform.

ChainCatcher News: The newly established electronic fraud investigation unit of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has recovered $130,000 from a cryptocurrency scam, marking its first victory. The unit was created to address the increasingly complex cyber financial crimes, particularly those involving cryptocurrency.

ChainCatcher news, at the national conference audit held in Seoul, lawmakers demanded a special investigation into the KOK cryptocurrency scam. According to allegations from the victims' alliance, two subsidiaries of the Chosun Ilbo were aware that KOK was a scam but still actively promoted it, resulting in a loss of 40 trillion won (approximately 2.97 billion USD).According to the Asia Daily, IT Chosun, the business news department under the Chosun Ilbo, reported a significant milestone for KOK in April 2022. Two months later, another subsidiary, Digital Chosun, awarded KOK the "Consumer Satisfaction" award.It is reported that the KOK token attracted nearly 2 million investors worldwide. From 2019 to 2023, investors could use the KOK PLAY platform to consume Korean dramas, movies, and games, and exchange KOK tokens for Bitcoin with a fee of 7-12%. Investors could also earn commissions by recruiting other investors; KOK essentially operated as a Ponzi scheme and multi-level marketing plan.

ChainCatcher news, toy manufacturer LEGO Group has removed the "LEGO Coin" token scam that briefly appeared on its homepage after being hacked on October 5. The "LEGO Coin" token was visible on the toy manufacturer's homepage for about 75 minutes before being taken down.According to reports, LEGO told consumer technology platform Engadget that the cryptocurrency scam only appeared "briefly" on its homepage and that no user accounts were compromised: "The issue has been resolved. No user accounts were hijacked, and customers can shop as usual." "The cause has been identified, and we are taking steps to prevent such incidents from happening again."

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, the Indian Enforcement Directorate has uncovered a massive $48 million scam related to the online gaming app Fiewin, which involves Chinese nationals.After an in-depth investigation, approximately $3 million in accounts linked to these individuals have been frozen. The scam lured users with a quick money-making scheme but blocked fund withdrawals. The investigation also involves assistance from Binance, revealing a complex transfer of cryptocurrency to China.

ChainCatcher news, the Indonesian Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) has collaborated with Binance and Tokocrypto to capture a major fraud operation, identifying multiple suspects and seizing $200,000 in ill-gotten gains.Bareskrim has launched an investigation into a suspected trading fraud case involving a cryptocurrency trading website. The investigation confirmed that the website was part of a pig butchering scam. During the investigation, several individuals involved in managing accounts that received stolen funds were arrested. Authorities discovered approximately 50 mobile phones and several local bank cards, as well as banking applications, on the suspects' mobile phones and tablets. When asked about the cryptocurrency wallets they controlled, the suspects refused to cooperate.Through forensic analysis, Bareskrim investigators identified wallet addresses that may be controlled by the suspects and found supporting evidence in their communication records, particularly on Telegram. Their chat screenshots revealed several key wallet addresses, further linking the suspects to the fraud.Bareskrim has arrested individuals involved in managing the stolen funds.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Verge, at 6:24 AM Beijing time on September 24, the @OpenAINewsroom account, which shares OpenAI news and has nearly 54,000 followers, posted a now-deleted message promoting the "OPENAI" token.The post stated: "We are very excited to announce the launch of OPEANAI: a token that bridges the gap between artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. All OpenAI users are eligible to receive the initial supply of OPENAI. Holding OPENAI will grant access to all our future beta programs."The post also included a link to a fake version of the OpenAI website. The related false post is currently shown as "unavailable." The account was launched earlier this month.

ChainCatcher news, the official YouTube channel of the Indian Supreme Court, which has over 217,000 followers, has been renamed to a Ripple-themed account to implement a cryptocurrency scam. Hackers used the channel to stream a fake live video of Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse. The channel also encouraged potential victims to invest in the scam, promising unrealistic returns.Additionally, the hackers renamed the channel, changed the URL, and deleted all videos previously uploaded by the original account owner. However, YouTube later had to remove the compromised channel, stating, "The channel was removed because it violated our community guidelines."

ChainCatcher News: The U.S. Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on Cambodian businessman Li Yongfa and his companies, accusing them of involvement in human trafficking and forced labor related to cryptocurrency scams. The sanctions freeze Li Yongfa's and his companies' assets in the United States and prohibit U.S. citizens from engaging in related transactions.Li Yongfa and his companies are accused of luring victims to scam centers and forcing workers to participate in cryptocurrency fraud. The Treasury emphasized that this action aims to hold accountable those criminals involved in human rights abuses and fraud. These sanctions are based on Executive Order 13818, which expands the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

ChainCatcher news, three former soldiers in India reported to the Pune Chandannagar police, accusing eight officials of a trading company of defrauding them of over 7.981 million rupees (approximately 96,000 USD) through a cryptocurrency scam since 2022. The three invested their retirement savings into the project, lured by promises of doubling their returns in 20 months and a monthly return of 10%.The company's directors and one involved former soldier had previously been arrested in a similar case and are currently held in Yerawada Jail. The police are awaiting court approval for further questioning. Earlier this year, the company held a cryptocurrency seminar in Maharashtra, attracting multiple investors.

ChainCatcher news, a report released by the FBI on the 9th shows that the agency received nearly 70,000 reports of cryptocurrency fraud in the United States in 2023, involving more than $5.6 billion, an increase of 45% compared to 2022. (Jin Shi)

According to ChainCatcher, South Korean police arrested a man in his 40s in August 2024, who is suspected of orchestrating a major cryptocurrency scam that defrauded 158 investors of a total of 16 billion won (approximately 12 million USD).It is reported that the scam activity lasted from November 2021 to June 2022, with the suspect using a fake cryptocurrency mining business as a front, promising investors a monthly return rate of 18%. Victims suffered personal losses ranging from 1.2 million won to 250 million won. After failing to attend a preliminary hearing in September 2023, the suspect evaded capture for 10 months by spending about 21 million won on eye, nose, and facial contour surgeries, and wearing a wig to change his appearance. Ultimately, the police successfully apprehended him through clues such as surveillance footage, phone records, and internet search history.