The United States Secret Service is tightening its grasp on cryptocurrency scams with a recent seizure of another domain linked to a "pig butchering" scheme—the latest web snare laid by con artists to fleece unsuspecting victims, including the elderly, out of substantial amounts of money. As reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, these scammers engage their marks through myriad digital avenues; they spawn their deceit on dating apps, social media platforms, and even through the guise of an accidental text message.
Building trust is the cornerstone of this con, wherein over time scammers guide victims towards the false promise of lucrative business opportunities in cryptocurrency—this was the case for a Warren County victim who wired a staggering $172,405.61 to the now-seized domain NFT-UNI.com, not to mention other victims who reported losses amounting to roughly $4.6 million from the same scam. The Secret Service, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, has dealt a blow to these fraudsters by taking down another one of their digital hideouts.
This crime is made worse by how scammers stretch out the process to drain victims' money. After the victim invests, their funds are moved through a series of bank accounts to hide the money's trail. In a May 2024 operation, the Secret Service seized OKEX-NFT.net, which was similarly used in these schemes, bringing the fight to the doorstep of these scammers who prey on the vulnerable. “By seizing this website, we are able to strike a blow to a criminal organization that financially victimized numerous individuals, including a member of our community and senior citizens around the country,” as stated by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, according to the same press release.
Victims of these nefarious plots are encouraged to report their experiences via [email protected] or IC3.gov. This case stands as a part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative—an initiative that aims to protect the financial well-being of the country's older population.
