Police warn people about growing trend of cryptocurrency and remote access scams after Nottinghamshire victims lost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Recent scams began with fraudulent ads on YouTube or other social media platforms.
Cryptocurrency Scams: Clicking on Links
Victims reported that they clicked on a link asking them to share their contact information and then began receiving phone calls from scammers about lucrative investment opportunities.
Remote computer access
The scammers then convince victims to grant them remote access to their computers so they can set everything up.
The funds, usually Bitcoin, are then transferred from the victim's account to a fake website that falsely shows the victim making huge profits.
The scammers take the funds and continue to encourage more investments by taking out huge loans, causing the victim's losses to be even greater.
Victims of cryptocurrency scams in Nottinghamshire
A victim from Nottinghamshire was forced to repay three loans totaling £49,000 - money she will now have to pay back.
Two other victims reported losing more than £100,000.
The three victims receive support from Nottinghamshire Police Cyber Protection team as they seek to claim compensation from their banks, which have a duty to protect customers from scams.
Kirsty Jackson, from the Cyber Protect team, reminded people to exercise caution and vigilance. She said:
“Investment fraud can destroy people, businesses and families. Always be on your guard and take the time to do thorough research before deciding to invest any amount of your money.
“These online investment scammers pose as legitimate companies with hundreds of positive reviews, so it can be very easy to become a victim.
“Therefore, it is extremely important that people only grant remote access to their mobile devices, phones, laptops and computers if asked to do so by someone they know and trust, such as a friend or family member.
“You should never grant remote access to your device as a result of an unsolicited call, browser pop-up, advertisement, link, or text message.
“The consequences of doing so can be devastating. These scams have had a profound impact on their victims, as in some cases banks have insisted that loans be repaid.
"We help them file claims to have the loans cancelled, but there are no guarantees and therefore the best way to protect yourself is to be on the lookout for these types of scams."
Incidents should be reported to Action Fraud in the first instance by calling 0300 123 2040. You can then make a further report to Nottinghamshire Police by calling 101 and quoting the Action Fraud reference number.
For more information on how to protect yourself from these types of crimes, visit The Little Book of Crypto Crime (met.police.uk).
