US, UK, Canada launch joint operation to disrupt crypto fraud
The US Secret Service, UK National Crime Agency, and Canadian authorities have partnered to disrupt fraudulent schemes related to crypto, raise awareness of scams, and recover stolen funds.
In a Monday notice, law enforcement agencies from the three countries — including Canada’s Ontario Provincial Police and the Ontario Securities Commission — said that they had launched “Operation Atlantic,” focusing on identifying people at risk of losing or those who had already lost crypto through “approval phishing” schemes.
“Approval phishing and investment scams cost victims millions in financial loss each year,” said Brent Daniels, deputy assistant director for the US Secret Service’s Office of Field Operations. The agencies said they hope to identify and disrupt these scams in near real-time.
Source:
Ontario Securities Commission
According to blockchain analytics platform Chainalysis, approval phishing scams involve “the scammer trick[ing] the user into signing a malicious blockchain transaction that gives the scammer’s address approval to spend specific tokens inside the victim’s wallet, allowing the scammer to then drain the victim’s address of those tokens at will.”
According to the Ontario Securities Commission, Operation Atlantic built upon the commission’s Project Atlas. The operation was launched in 2024 by the Ontario Provincial Police with the US Secret Service and targeted crypto fraud networks.
The initiative will also work with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the City of London Police, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Are different phishing scams on the rise?
Phishing scams usually involve different methods, seemingly from legitimate sources, that trick users into giving fraudsters access to their crypto wallets. According to crypto intelligence platform Nominis’ monthly report, phishing attacks increased sharply in February, but the amount stolen in crypto-related scams and exploits overall fell to $49 million from $385 million in January.
Chainalysis launched Operation Spincaster in 2024, targeting “approval phishing” scams, which it reported had resulted in $2.7 billion in crypto stolen between May 2021 and July 2024.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
You may also like
NASDAQ TRADE HALT <RIBBU.O> VOLATILITY TRADING PAUSE AT 12:14 PM
NASDAQ TRADE HALT VOLATILITY TRADING PAUSE AT 12:14 PM
Siebert CIO Says Micron Stock Is a Buy, Just Not Forever
Magna International Inc. Price Target Cut to $77.00/Share From $80.00 by TD
Ratings actions from Baystreet: http://www.baystreet.ca (END) Dow Jones Newswires October 08, 2026 11:09 ET (15:09 GMT)
Dow Jones Top Financial Services Headlines at 11 AM ET: Q&A: Bitcoin Funds Are Expanding. HANetf's Co-CEO Explains Why | Global ...
Q&A: Bitcoin Funds Are Expanding. HANetf's Co-CEO Explains Why Last week, London-based HANetf, an exchange-traded fund provider, launched the world's first euro-hedged bitcoin ETC-noting a shift in demand among its European client base. ---- Global Bond Turmoil Reveals the Surprising Resilience of Emerging Markets "It's very clear that EM is behaving differently than in the past, and EM is holding up better than expected." ---- U.K. Regulators Ready Green Light for $4 Billion ATM Tie-Up Between Brink's, NCR Atleos Authorities said the offer to sell off some parts of Brink's business should address concerns over the ATM operator's planned acquisition of its rival. ---- Choosing the Right Bond Strategy for Today's High-Yield World Before chasing higher rates, bond buyers have to figure out what type of investor they actually are. ---- Fed's Waller Sees Multiple Rate Increases Ahead to Cool Inflation In prepared remarks at the Istanbul Economic Forum, Christopher Waller said the economic data underscoring the need for interest-rate increases hasn't shifted much. ---- Financial Services Roundup: Market Talk Find insight on ABN Amro Bank, Standard Life and more in the latest Market Talks covering financial services. ---- Wells Fargo Faces Regulator Probe Over Efforts to Boost Black Homeownership Trump's Housing and Urban Development is seeking to crack down on race-based lending, calling it a potential violation of the Fair Housing Act. ---- Ripple, Crypto's Payments Giant, Breaks Into Wall Street The crypto firm is emerging as a serious player in financing leveraged ETFs, a lucrative business long dominated by big banks. ---- Venture Firm Behind Chip Startup Groq Targets $10 Billion Megafund Winning bets on hot AI startups are vaulting a little-known Dallas firm into a small group of firms raising gigantic funds. ---- How one trend-following fund outperformed rivals by bringing humans back into the decision-making process One trend-following fund has outperformed rivals this year by deciding to take profits. ---- Wal
Crypto prices
More
