fraud

Montana plans to legislate to strengthen digital asset regulation, with nationwide fraud losses exceeding $12.5 billion in 2024

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, Montana is accelerating the advancement of a digital asset regulatory framework to address the surge in cryptocurrency fraud. State Securities and Insurance Commissioner James Brown cited data from the Federal Trade Commission, stating that nationwide fraud losses reached $12.5 billion in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 25%, with the elderly population becoming a primary target due to their demographic representation ranking sixth in the nation.Brown supports the "Digital Token Regulatory Act" being reviewed by the state legislature, which would authorize regulatory agencies to implement access reviews and ongoing supervision of blockchain service providers, emphasizing "promoting the coordinated development of economic innovation and consumer protection through clear boundaries of rights and responsibilities." If the bill passes, Montana will become the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to systematically regulate on-chain trading entities.Regulatory actions focus on three major risk areas:"Pig Butchering" social engineering scams: 15 cases have been filed statewide in 2024, involving over $900,000, with scammers inducing victims to invest in fake trading platforms by fabricating personal relationships;Bank transfer fraud: using cryptocurrency mixing services to obscure the flow of funds;High-yield investment traps: evading compliance reviews by promising excessive returns.Brown announced the establishment of a cross-departmental digital asset enforcement team, opening a 24-hour reporting channel, and plans to collaborate with federal agencies to trace on-chain funds. Industry insiders point out that this move may provide a paradigm reference for Web3 regulation across U.S. states.

The Hunan Financial Office disclosed a virtual currency fundraising fraud case, with the main culprit illegally profiting over 226 million yuan

ChainCatcher news, the Office of the Financial Committee of the Hunan Provincial Committee, the Financial Work Committee of the Hunan Provincial Committee, and the Hunan Provincial Local Financial Supervision Administration's official WeChat account disclosed a GBC platform fundraising fraud case. Zhou, Tong, Wu, and others commissioned Chengdu Xingyi Network Technology Co., Ltd. to design the GBC platform software for computer clients and mobile apps. Wu falsely claimed that GBC coins and wealth coins were blockchain virtual currencies, developing downlines in areas such as Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City. By the time the case was reported, the "GBC" platform had developed 47 levels of members, involving 59,548 member accounts, with a total fund flow of 3.408 billion yuan, of which 40,480 member accounts suffered losses totaling 629 million yuan. The main criminal gained over 226 million yuan through fundraising fraud on the GBC platform.Upon investigation, the GBC platform system generated digital symbols out of thin air, which had no economic value. The Zhengzhou Intermediate People's Court, after hearing the case, determined that based on the facts of the crime, its nature, circumstances, and the degree of harm to society, the involved individuals were sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment ranging from fifteen to thirteen years.
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