February 13 News: The U.S. Department of Justice issued a warning through the Northern District of Ohio Federal Prosecutor’s Office, reminding the public to stay vigilant around Valentine’s Day to prevent love scams centered on cryptocurrency transfers and false investments. In the statement, officials straightforwardly said, “Cupid does not ask for cryptocurrency,” and pointed out that criminals are using dating platforms, social media, and chat apps to establish relationships, then inducing transfers with claims of emergencies, travel expenses, or purported high-return investments.
U.S. Prosecutor David M. Topfer stated that these scams are not about romance but are solely motivated by money. He urged the public to verify identities before any transfers and avoid sending money to people they have never met. Law enforcement officials disclosed that scammers often forge identities using stolen photos, claiming to be overseas service members or engaged in international business, quickly expressing “deep affection,” then shifting conversations to private messaging apps, and ultimately demanding payments in crypto assets, gift cards, or wire transfers.
The authorities listed several real cases, including a suspect from Ghana accused of orchestrating love scams that defrauded over $8 million from elderly victims; another woman lost all her savings due to a “crypto investment opportunity.” Relevant departments recommend that anyone suspecting they have been scammed should immediately cease contact, preserve evidence, and report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
This “love + investment” hybrid scam, also known as the “Pig Butcher” scheme, has seen increasing losses in recent years and has become one of the highest-loss online fraud types in the U.S. Blockchain security firms tracking these activities have found that the flow of related funds continues to grow, and scam techniques are evolving toward highly organized operations.
Law enforcement is strengthening cooperation with blockchain companies, using on-chain tracking and asset freezes to reduce victim numbers. Regulators emphasize that anyone promising “stable high returns” and requiring the use of cryptocurrency should be considered a high-risk signal. For ordinary users, maintaining rationality and caution is key to avoiding falling into both emotional and financial traps. (The Block)
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Privacy Protocol Umbra Shuts Down Frontend to Block Attackers from Laundering Stolen Kelp Funds
Gate News message, April 22 — Privacy protocol Umbra has shut down its frontend website to prevent attackers from using the protocol to transfer stolen funds following recent attacks, including the Kelp protocol breach that resulted in losses exceeding $280 million. Approximately $800,000 in stolen
GateNews2h ago
Justin Sun sues World Liberty Financial, alleging WLFI tokens were wrongfully frozen
According to a report by Bloomberg on April 22, TRON founder Justin Sun has filed a lawsuit in the federal court in California against World Liberty Financial (WLFI). WLFI is a decentralized finance (DeFi) project backed by the son of U.S. President Donald Trump. In a statement released on Wednesday, Justin Sun said he decided to pursue legal action after attempting to resolve the dispute out of court but being refused.
MarketWhisper3h ago
Dissatisfied with the tokens being frozen! TRON founder Justin Sun sues the Trump family’s WLFI
The conflict between TRON founder Justin Sun and World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a crypto project by the Trump family, has officially escalated from community sparring into a federal lawsuit. On April 22, Sun said that he has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. federal court in California against World Liberty Financial, claiming that his legitimate rights as a WLFI token holder have been violated, including the tokens being frozen, his governance voting rights being stripped, and even being threatened with having his tokens directly destroyed.
WLFI investor tokens are locked up after Trump takes office
On X, Sun wrote that he still supports the direction of Trump and his administration in promoting crypto-friendly policies in the United States. This lawsuit does not change his view of the Trump administration; but at the same time, he called out that the actions of “some people” within the World Liberty project team have deviated from…
ChainNewsAbmedia3h ago
Venus Protocol 攻擊者轉移 2301 枚 ETH，流入 Tornado Cash 清洗
According to the on-chain analyst Ai Auntie’s monitoring on April 22, the Venus Protocol attacker transferred 2,301 ETH (about $5.32 million) to address 0xa21…23A7f 11 hours ago, then moved the funds in batches into the crypto mixer Tornado Cash for laundering; as of the time of monitoring, the attacker still held about $17.45 million worth of ETH on-chain.
MarketWhisper5h ago
North Korean Lazarus Group Releases New Mach-O Man macOS Malware Targeting Crypto
Summary: Lazarus Group released a native macOS malware toolkit named Mach-O Man, aimed at crypto platforms and high-value executives; SlowMist warns users to exercise caution against attacks.
Abstract: The article reports that the Lazarus Group has unveiled Mach-O Man, a macOS-native malware toolkit aimed at cryptocurrency platforms and high-value executives. SlowMist warns users to exercise caution to mitigate potential attacks.
GateNews6h ago
