Fraudster Impersonates UK Police, Pilfers $2.8M in Bitcoin

In a sophisticated scam, a criminal masquerading as a police officer from the United Kingdom managed to steal nearly $2.8 million USD worth of Bitcoin from a victim’s hardware wallet. Reports indicate the fraudster contacted the victim, claiming to be part of a cybercrime unit investigating suspicious activity linked to their Bitcoin account. To gain the victim’s trust, the scammer presented falsified documents and official police logos, boosting their credibility. The imposter then instructed the victim to transfer their Bitcoin to a “secure account,” supposedly to protect the funds from potential threats. Alarmed for their assets, the victim followed the scammer’s instructions and transferred the Bitcoin to the address provided. Following the transfer, the scammer vanished, leaving the victim unable to recover their funds. Authorities are now issuing warnings about similar scams and advising users to verify the identity of anyone claiming to represent an official body and to never transfer funds to untrusted individuals. This incident underscores the growing risks associated with cryptocurrencies and the importance of strong security measures to protect digital assets.