Kent residents lost over £1 million in crypto scams after a data leak exposed personal information to fraudsters.
Someone claiming to be a cop contacted the victims. They said they were investigating the issue. The “officer” said the crypto wallet host would call. A second caller posed as a security officer.
They asked for the victim’s seed phrase which unlocks their crypto wallet. Using the seed phrase, thieves rebuilt the wallet. They stole all the crypto and moved it. Recovering the stolen funds became impossible.
Don’t give out personal details. Police warn about sharing any personal information. Scammers are very clever now. They create a sense of urgency and push people to act quickly.
Report any scam, even if it’s embarrassing. It takes very little to become a victim. Distraction can lead to losing your money. It happens quickly to many people.
If someone calls claiming to be security or police, be careful. Ask them for their details. Then end the call and wait five minutes to clear the line. Call 101, or 999 if it is an emergency.
A call handler can confirm if the caller was real. Look at Kent Police’s website for more tips. Also check the Take Five campaign website.