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A con artist pretending to be a senior member of UK law enforcement has stolen 28 million in Bitcoin in what police are calling a sophisticated and highly targeted scam.
According to North Wales Police, the victim lost approximately 21 million pounds, or 28 million worth of BTC, after being tricked by the impersonator. Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that their Cyber Crime Unit is leading the probe, stressing that the case reveals a troubling pattern of attacks aimed at long-term crypto holders using cold storage wallets.
Investigators suspect the victim’s details may have been leaked in a prior data breach, which enabled the scammer to execute such a precise and advanced scheme.
Police both in the UK and internationally have long cautioned the public about fraudsters impersonating law enforcement and government officials. These scams can range from basic payment demands to complex, multilayered operations designed to erase suspicions.
Crypto Wallet Breach Through Fake Police Directive
North Wales Police reported that the victim was contacted by a fraudster masquerading as a senior law enforcement officer.
The scammer claimed that a suspect had been arrested with a phone allegedly containing the victim’s personal documents, warning that the victim’s security could be compromised.
Exploiting fear and urgency, the fraudster instructed the victim to protect their assets by accessing their cold storage wallet via a link provided. Trusting the instructions, the victim entered their seed phrase into what appeared to be an official site but was in reality a fake sophisticated platform set up by the criminals.
Once in possession of the wallet credentials, the scammers drained it completely, making off with the 28 million in Bitcoin.
Police Urge Caution: Verify, Don’t Trust
North Wales Police said efforts are underway to trace and recover the stolen funds while also reminding crypto holders how to confirm they are speaking with legitimate officers and what genuine law enforcement would and would not ask.
Police will NEVER make an unsolicited call about your cryptocurrency or instruct you to access your cold wallet. That alone should set off alarm bells, the cyber team warned.
The force advised anyone receiving such calls to hang up immediately and reach out directly to the police through official channels for confirmation. Officers stressed that under no circumstance would they ever request a crypto wallet’s seed phrase.
Fraudsters continue to adapt and refine their methods, North Wales Police added. They’re not only going after newcomers to the market but are also using advanced social engineering to deceive even experienced investors.
Authorities Warn of Broader Impersonation Scams
The warning comes as similar alerts surface overseas. Earlier this month the FBI cautioned that criminals are impersonating staff from crypto exchanges, contacting victims under the guise of account issues to obtain sensitive login details.
Back in May the bureau also reported a wave of scams leveraging artificial intelligence. Attackers used AI-generated deepfake voices to mimic senior US officials, targeting both current and former government employees at federal and state levels.
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