Officers in North Yorkshire have seen a spike in cryptocurrency investment scams. In May 2024, Action Fraud data has shown a total of more than £105,000 has been stolen from 15 people residing in North Yorkshire. They have each fallen victim to Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency scams where they have agreed to pay advance fees on the promise of receiving something valuable in return.
Detective Inspector Janine Mitchell, Head of Economic Crime, has urged residents to remain vigilant to the scammers and take great care before thinking about investing in cryptocurrency investment schemes advertised online. DI Mitchell said: “This is clearly a very worrying trend and the crimes are having a deep impact on the victims who are mostly aged in their 30s, 40s and 50s.