As an analyst with years of experience in the cryptocurrency space, I can’t help but feel a sense of unease when reading about these incidents of in-person crypto robberies. It’s a stark reminder that despite the digital nature of our work, the human element is still very much present – and sometimes, dangerously so.
According to blockchain analyst ZachXBT, there seems to be a rise in reports from individuals claiming that they have fallen victim to physical theft of cryptocurrencies.
As a researcher, I recently shared in a post dated October 10th that I’ve been contacted by numerous individuals, victims of crypto home invasion thefts, hailing primarily from Western Europe. Over the last few months, this region has witnessed an unusually high frequency of such incidents compared to other areas.
In a message sent on September 27th through his Telegram channel, he reiterated a similar statement, expressing knowledge about multiple people within the cryptocurrency community who have been robbed at gunpoint and lost their digital assets over the past few months.
Simultaneously, ZachXBT asserts that the individual who lost $4.3 million worth of cryptocurrency during a home invasion in June 2024 may have had their home address and private details exposed following a data breach. This leak allegedly enabled thieves to trace their whereabouts.
The thieves had gathered information about their target, subsequently posing as delivery personnel to drop off a package at the victim’s residence. They managed to enter the property equipped with machetes.
Subsequently, they compelled the victim to unveil their financial records and make cryptocurrency transactions to two previously unused wallets. However, according to ZachXBT, neither of those wallets have shown any signs of activity yet.
“ZachXBT warned, sharing some practical steps you can follow to safeguard yourself, hoping these tips might even result in arrests.
Keep your cryptocurrency investments private; don’t disclose them to friends or use them to boast on social platforms.
Based on GitHub data, it appears that at least 15 instances of offline cryptocurrency theft have been reported across various nations within the past year. This number is expected to rise to approximately 17 in the year 2023, and there were 32 such occurrences recorded in the year 2021.
Since 2014, the online database has recorded instances of in-person thefts involving cryptocurrencies, such as an attempt to extort 1,000 Bitcoins (equivalent to approximately $400,000) from Hal Finney, a well-known computer scientist and cryptographer, via phone calls.
More recently, Nick Drakon, the ex-CEO of crypto research and learning platform Revelo Intel, asserted in a September 5 post on X that he had been targeted, monitored, and robbed by an extremely advanced group. This group also threatened his wife and eight-month-old child.
After disclosing that he had been forcibly compelled to move both personal, business, and investor funds, he resigned from his role as CEO at Revelo Intel.
On the 25th of June, a resident from Florida was found guilty for orchestrating several violent break-ins, with the primary objective being the theft of cryptocurrencies.
From December 2022 through July 2023, this group allegedly employed tactics like violence, kidnapping, and threats to coerce individuals into moving their cryptocurrency assets to digital wallets owned by the crooks.
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2024-10-13 19:07