Musicians and athletes targeted by crypto thieves
The UK Police Department National Crime Agency arrested 8 suspected crypto thieves today. (Photo: Willy Barton / Shutterstock.com)
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A group of 10 suspects are said to have stolen more than $ 100 million worth of cryptocurrencies. Her goals were apparently mainly well-known musicians, athletes and influencers.
After British police information Eight people were arrested in England and Scotland for allegedly stealing crypto funds from several thousand people. Previously were loud Europol Another person arrested in Belgium and Malta in connection with the crimes. In addition to the European law enforcement agencies and the Canadian police, the US Secret Service and the FBI were also involved in the investigation.
According to police, the suspects had focused on well-known US athletes, musicians, influencers and their relatives. They are said to have used the so-called SIM swapping mesh for crypto thefts. The attackers sneak their victim’s cell phone number and use it to defeat SMS-based two-factor authentication. The suspects are said to have stolen more than 100 million US dollars in crypto currencies.
“This network targeted a large number of victims in the US and regularly attacked those they considered lucrative targets, such as famous sports stars and musicians,” said Paul Creffield of the UK’s online crime division Police. The eight alleged perpetrators arrested in England are between the ages of 18 and 26.
SIM swapping: this is how you protect yourself from such attacks
Basically, SMS is considered an extremely insecure channel. The use of special apps is therefore always recommended for two-factor authentication. Europol also recommends sharing as little personal data as possible on the Internet. You should also be suspicious of inquiries by email or phone that ask for personal information from you.
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