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Scammers using Bitcoin ATMs stole over $333 million from Americans between January and November 2025, according to a recent report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Sharp Rise Compared to Last Year
This figure marks a significant jump from the roughly $250 million lost to similar schemes in 2024. The FBI notes that scams involving crypto kiosks are “not slowing down” and continue to intensify.

A Perfect Tool for Criminals
One of the main factors behind the surge is the speed and irreversibility of transactions carried out via Bitcoin ATMs. These kiosks allow users to deposit cash and instantly convert it into cryptocurrency, sending it directly to digital wallets—something scammers exploit with ease.
Fraudsters commonly pose as government agents or banks, pressuring victims to make urgent payments to avoid penalties or legal consequences. Once the money is deposited and transferred via the ATM, it’s nearly impossible to recover, according to the FBI.

More ATMs, More Scams
As of now, there are more than 45,000 Bitcoin ATMs installed across the United States. While these machines offer convenience to crypto users, they also present growing opportunities for criminals, who constantly evolve their techniques to appear more convincing and harder to detect.

A Clear Warning to the Public
The FBI urges the public to never send cryptocurrency through a kiosk in response to unsolicited requests, threats, or pressure tactics—regardless of whether the caller claims to be from the police, IRS, or a financial institution. Any demand for immediate payment should raise red flags.

Fast transactions, zero recourse – a deadly combo criminals have mastered.
Want to stay safe? Never send crypto based on a phone call or email that pressures you. In crypto, once it's gone, it's gone for good.

#bitcoin , #Cryptoscam , #FBI , #CryptoFraud , #CryptoNews

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The crypto security world is on high alert: the FBI has officially issued a wanted notice for four North Korean citizens. The scheme they orchestrated reads more like a spy thriller than a standard freelance gig.
💰 The Stakes: The hackers managed to steal over $900,000 in cryptocurrency using stolen identities and "laptop farms." The U.S. State Department is now offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the disruption of their financial networks.
How the Scheme Worked
In 2022, the group posed as remote software engineers to get hired by American and Serbian IT firms. To bypass sophisticated security checks, they used:
Stolen Identities: Using data from real U.S. citizens to pass KYC and background checks."Laptop Farms": Accomplices rented apartments in the U.S. where companies sent work laptops. These "helpers" plugged them in, allowing hackers in North Korea to control the devices remotely via VPN/VPS, mimicking a local presence.AI Deepfakes: During video interviews, they used AI to alter their faces and voices in real-time.
Laundering via Tornado Cash 🌪️
After gaining access to internal systems and corporate digital wallets, the criminals drained the funds and attempted to mask the trail using the Tornado Cash mixer. Earlier in 2025, the U.S. DOJ raided 29 such "farms" across 16 states, but the masterminds remain at large.
⚠️ Why This Matters for Business & Crypto
North Korea has deployed thousands of highly skilled IT workers globally. Their goals go beyond just stealing salaries:
Installing backdoors in blockchain project code.Theft of intellectual property and military tech.Collecting sensitive client data for future extortion.
Pro-Tip for HR and Founders: Vet remote hires with extreme caution. If a candidate refuses face-to-face meetings or exhibits strange video lag/artifacts during calls, it’s a major red flag.
What’s your take? Is AI-driven fraud becoming the biggest threat to Web3 hiring in 2025? Let’s discuss in the comments! 👇
#FBI

#CyberSecurity

The field of cryptocurrency security is facing severe challenges: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has officially issued a wanted notice for four North Korean citizens. Their criminal methods resemble a spy thriller rather than a simple remote work scam.
💰 Amount involved and reward: The hackers utilized forged identities and 'notebook farm' techniques to successfully steal over 900,000 dollars in cryptocurrency. The U.S. State Department is currently offering a reward of up to 5 million dollars for information that helps dismantle their financial network.
Criminal methods revealed:
In 2022, this group posed as remote software engineers, working for IT companies in the United States and Serbia. To circumvent security systems, they employed the following tactics:

💰 On February 21, 2025, hackers stole 401,000 Ethereum (~$1.5 billion) from Bybit's cold wallet. This is the largest hack in the crypto industry!

🔍 How did this happen?
Hackers compromised Bybit's offline wallet during the transfer of funds to a hot wallet. The cryptocurrency was quickly withdrawn to unknown addresses and began to move.

In an effort to combat the sharply increasing cryptocurrency fraud, the FBI has just launched Operation Level Up, which has saved over 4,300 victims from losses of up to $285 million. This campaign aims to mitigate damages from cryptocurrency investment scams, estimated at up to $3.9 billion just in 2023.
The Trick "Pig Butchering" and the Fraud Target
According to reports from the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) of #FBI , around 3,200 complaints related to cryptocurrency investment fraud are filed each month. These scams are often negatively referred to as "pig butchering" – implying fattening the prey with promises of huge profits before suddenly seizing all assets.

The UAE-based company CLS Global agreed to accept U.S. charges that they manipulated the value of a special FBI-created cryptocurrency token used to fight crypto fraud. 
The FBI’s first-ever operation to fight cryptocurrency fraud charged CLS Global as one of 15 individuals and three companies. Prosecutors say CLS Global provided illegal trading services to cryptocurrency companies and agreed to help manipulate the market for the FBI-backed NexFundAI token, which runs on the Ethereum blockchain.
The company told investigators it made fake trades to make the token’s price and trading activity look higher than they really were. CLS Global must pay $428,059 and cannot trade cryptocurrencies on U.S. platforms or serve U.S. clients. 
To show it follows the rules, CLS Global must give proof of compliance once a year. The company also says it will pay back the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for breaking its rules.
The case shows regulators are paying closer attention to crypto companies, and shows how essential it is for these firms to follow U.S. rules when dealing with digital currencies.
#FBI #crypto #CryptoSurge2025

Federal prosecutors in Boston have filed “the first-ever criminal charges against financial firms for crypto market manipulation and wash trading.”
Eighteen individuals and entities are accused of large-scale fraud and manipulation of the cryptocurrency market, including the heads of market making companies Gotbit, ZM Quant, CLS Global, MyTrad and several crypto projects.

Americans lost $9.3 billion to crypto fraud in 2024, according to FBI data. The majority of the scams involved fake exchanges, rug pulls, and fraudulent investment apps.

Authorities are urging users to verify platforms and be skeptical of “too good to be true” returns.
#FBI #TRUMP