Lethbridge Police help catch crypto scammers

Lethbridge Police Service has joined other law enforcement agencies to help combat a romance and investment crypto-currency scam during Operation Disruption.

Officials say during a recent workshop hosted by Calgary Police and Chainalysis, they identified more than 770 victims of cryptocurrency fraud with a loss of close to $60 million dollars.  Of those victims, 119 were Canadian including some here in Alberta, although LPS would not disclose the number.

Sergeant Kevin Talbot who heads up the LPS Economic Crimes Unit says many of the victims did not even realize they were being scammed until police notified them.

Police remind citizens involved in blockchain transactions of the following tips:

• Do not send money to unknown individuals you have interacted with online
• Visit the Alberta Securities Commission website for cryptocurrency investment tips.
• Visit the Chainalysis website for more details on ‘approved phishing’ scams.
• Report financial loss to police
• If you have received a fraudulent text message, email or phone call but have not sustained a financial loss, please report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.