Key Ongoing Investigations

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Background:

• June 2023: A victim's MetaMask wallet was compromised by a skilled scammer. The victim received a message on Telegram from someone impersonating an investor in the victim's company.  Believing the impersonator, the victim clicked on a link provided, which led to the unauthorized access of their MetaMask wallet. As a result, cryptocurrency in excess of $200K funds was siphoned off by the scammer.

Seeking Help from Crypto-Helpline:

• June 2023: Realizing the severity of the situation the victim decided to reach out to Crypto-Helpline for assistance.  With the hope of recovering their lost funds, they engaged Crypto-Helpline's services.

Dedicated Efforts and Collaboration:

• June - August 2023: Crypto-Helpline immediately sprang into action upon receiving the victim's case. The team worked tirelessly, dedicating extensive resources to identify the missing funds across multiple cryptocurrency exchanges. Their expertise in the field allowed them to trace the movement of the stolen assets.

Preparation and Advocacy:

• June - August 2023: In addition to tracking the funds, Crypto-Helpline played a crucial role in preparing communication drafts on behalf of law enforcement agencies (LEAs). These drafts were aimed at facilitating cooperation from the exchanges involved and requesting the necessary information to trace the stolen funds.

Freeze Requests and Positive Response:

• August 2023: After weeks of relentless pursuit, Crypto-Helpline managed to pinpoint a significant portion of the victim's lost funds, which were dispersed across various exchanges. Okx, one of the exchanges, was particularly cooperative in this endeavor. The victim's funds, amounting to their total loss, were successfully located and frozen with the assistance of law enforcement.

Legal Action Initiated:

• September 2023: With the critical evidence secured  and the frozen funds in their sights, the necessary legal proceedings were initiated to obtain a court-issued seizure order.

Conclusion: 

• This case highlights the swift and effective response of Crypto-Helpline in assisting victims of cryptocurrency-related crimes. Through a relentless pursuit spanning several months, the victim's trust in Crypto-Helpline paid off, resulting in the successful identification and freezing of the stolen funds. The collaborative efforts between the victim, Crypto-Helpline, and law enforcement demonstrate the importance of expertise and dedication in navigating the complexities of cryptocurrency fraud cases. 

Background:

• October - November 2021: A victim fell prey to a romance scam and transferred $110,000 to a fraudulent platform named "Kiwi-ex." The victim was promised returns but was unable to withdraw their funds.
• December 2021 - January 2022: Distressed by the financial loss, the victim filed a formal police complaint with Cybercell <XX>, seeking justice and restitution.

Initial Investigation:

• February - June 2022: The Cybercrime team initiated an investigation into the case. They began by tracking the flow of funds and identifying the suspect accounts involved in the scam. Several of these accounts were traced to popular cryptocurrency exchanges, including Binance.

Obstacle and Halting of Investigation:

• June 2022: Progress in the investigation hit a roadblock when Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange, cooperated to some extent by providing KYC (Know Your Customer) data related to the suspect accounts. However, they requested a court or police order to freeze the accounts long-term, which halted further investigation.

Engagement with Crypto-Helpline:

• June 2023: Frustrated by the lack of progress and determined to recover their funds, the victim engaged Crypto-Helpline for assistance.

Resuming the Investigation:

• July 2023: The Cybercrime team, with Crypto-Helpline's  involvement, resumed the investigation with renewed vigor. They identified new suspect wallets associated with the fraud, spread across various exchanges, including Binance, Okx, and Gate.io.

Freeze Requests and Positive Response:

• August 2023: The Cybercrime team promptly sent freeze requests to the exchanges, seeking to halt any further transactions  involving the suspect wallets. Okx, one of the exchanges, confirmed the  freezing of the suspects' accounts and expressed their willingness to  refund the victim's funds, totaling <YY>.

Legal Action:

• August 2023 Onwards: With the freeze orders in effect and vital evidence collected, the Cybercrime team initiated the  formal legal process. This included obtaining a court order to proceed with the  case. Legal proceedings are now in progress.

Conclusion: 

• This ongoing cryptocurrency investigation highlights the challenges faced by victims of crypto-related scams and law enforcement agencies. The case underscores the importance of specialized assistance from organizations like Crypto-Helpline in navigating the complexities of cryptocurrency-related crimes. With the victim's determination and the collaboration between the Cybercrime team and Crypto-Helpline, there is hope for a successful resolution and recovery of victim's funds.