PUBLIC NOTICE - CRYPTOCURRENCY SCAMS
AWARENESS | RESPONSE | PREVENTION

It’s no surprise that fraud has become a booming industry for criminals in our fast-paced digital world. The internet, smartphones,
and computers have become the tools of choice for fraudsters these days. As a result, romance, investment, and other types of
scams involving cryptocurrency (“crypto”) have skyrocketed.

Thus, the York County Regional Police Department would like to share the following prevention strategies and resources for the purpose of elevating public
awareness relating to crypto-related fraud:

PREVENTION STRATEGIES 

1. Do not respond to unsolicited phone calls, text messages, or emails. 

2. Avoid clicking on links in text messages or emails without checking them first. Hover over the link instead of clicking it. This will allow you to preview the link before navigating to the site. Many viruses are introduced into computers & phones via malicious links. 

3. Be suspicious. Fraudsters use tactics to create a sense of urgency. Pause & think before you click or reply. 

4. Guard your personal & financial information. Never share this information with anyone you don’t know & trust. Be vigilant! 

5. Be careful on social media. Fraudsters often send friend requests or direct messages from hacked accounts or new accounts they’ve created in order to connect & build trust.

RESOURCES

Operation Shamrock – An excellent resource for education, awareness, and ways you can get involved in the fight against crypto-related fraud. Subscribe to the Train-the-Trainer section and learn how to educate and equip your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. https://www.operationshamrock.org

Federal Trade Commission – Another great resource to learn about cryptocurrency and related scams. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-cryptocurrency-scams

US Secret Service – Excellent advice on how to protect yourself from all types of scams as well as excellent information on elder fraud, romance scams, tech support scams, and more. https://www.secretservice.gov/investigations/avoidscams

https://www.secretservice.gov/investigations/investmentfraud-pigbutchering

https://www.secretservice.gov/investigations/digitalassets

Advocating Against Romance Scammers – Chock full of resources, tools, and information about scams, not just romance scams. https://advocatingforu.com/tools-resources/#tools

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR VICTIMS OF FRAUD

1. Gather documentation and have ready for police. Ex: Bitcoin ATM receipts, phone numbers, email addresses, social media accounts, text message conversations, or other information relating to the fraudster’s communication with you.

2. File a timely report with your local police department and ask for a report number. Speed is critical in these cases.

3. File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (run by the FBI) here: www.ic3.gov

4. File a report with the Federal Trade Commission here: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov

5. Report the scam to Operation Shamrock here: www.operationshamrock.org/reporting-basics. This helps law enforcement
agencies worldwide to accelerate case prioritization and investigations. Specific crypto addresses/accounts can also be
flagged to prevent additional individuals from being victimized.