WILLIMANTIC, CT (WFSB) – State police mentioned they had been capable of recover and return $180,000 misplaced in a cryptocurrency scam.
Troopers mentioned their “State Police Cryptocurrency Working Group” returned the cash to a Willimantic resident who fell sufferer to a global funding fraud scam.
They mentioned the investigation started in July 2024 when the sufferer acquired unsolicited textual content messages from a person who claimed to be a profitable cryptocurrency investor.
“By refined social engineering ways, the scammer satisfied the sufferer to switch over $225,000 right into a fraudulent funding platform referred to as ‘XeggeX,’” state police mentioned.
The “investor” then disappeared with the funds.
Working in collaboration with a compliant cryptocurrency alternate platform, investigators mentioned they had been capable of intercept and recover roughly 1.77 Bitcoin from the fraudulent pockets deal with.
The funds had been safely returned to the sufferer on Feb. 12, 2025 beneath courtroom order.
“This case, together with different ‘pig butchering’ scams are half of a bigger transnational organized crime operation that has brought about over $75 billion in losses globally,” state police mentioned. “These scammers are working refined fraud factories throughout southeast Asia, focusing on victims worldwide, together with right here in Connecticut.”
State police mentioned these are the warning indicators of cryptocurrency funding scams:
- Unsolicited funding recommendation by textual content messages or social media
- Strain to maneuver conversations to WhatsApp or different messaging apps
- Claims of assured excessive returns with no danger
- Romantic manipulation mixed with funding strain
- Requests to switch cash by cryptocurrency
- Skilled-looking funding platforms with no level of contact
State police urged anybody who believes they could be a sufferer of a cryptocurrency scam to right away contact their group at csp.virtualcurrency@ct.gov or their native police division.
“Early reporting is important for these investigations,” state police mentioned.
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