In a coordinated effort known as Operation Atlantic, authorities from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada have successfully frozen over $12 million linked to cryptocurrency scams. This operation, which took place in March, focused on tackling phishing attacks and involved collaboration with agencies like the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and the US Secret Service.
More than 20,000 victims were identified across the involved countries, with the NCA reporting that over $45 million had been stolen through various cryptocurrency fraud schemes. The operation highlights the effectiveness of international cooperation between law enforcement and the private sector, as noted by NCA Deputy Director of Investigations Miles Bonfield.
Major cryptocurrency exchange Binance played a significant role in the operation, providing support at the NCA's London headquarters, including scam intelligence and live account screening. Despite the extensive investigations, Binance confirmed that no funds were frozen from its platform during this enforcement action.