A California finance regulator said users reported seven new types of crypto and AI scam that it had not been seen before in thousands of complaints in 2024.
The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) is said on a March 10 statement that it received 2,668 complaints in 2024 and found Seven types of scams They have not recorded yet, as fake bitcoin (Btc) Mining schemes, in which fake mining investments offer.
DFPI has also received complaints about fake crypto gaming schemes, in which they encourage users to deposit funds only to have their The purses are drainedand scams that offer fake jobs that require victims to move crypto and provide private information.
Source: California’s Department of Protection and Innovation
The victims also reported theft of private keys through fake airdrops, fake investment groups in WhatsApp or Telegram, AI investment scams that offer unusual high return and loss of their crypto after coordinating with some sham websites.
The AI industry experienced significant growth in 2024reaching a market cap of $ 638 billion, According to In precedence research.
There was also a well -known increase in Crimeware-as-a-Service (CAAS), where experienced hackers and cybercriminals sell their tools and services to less experienced offenders for a price.
DFPI Commissioner KC Mohseni said the regulator is urging the care when it comes to unknown to unknown platforms and to “prove website domains to avoid fraudulent imitations, and remain careful at crypto recovery sites.”
By cooperating with the state, the DFPI said it closed more than 26 fraudulent crypto websites and had no cover of $ 4.6 million in user losses last year.
California DOJ has fallen on 42 crypto scam websites
The California Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped 42 crypto scam websites in 2024 stealing $ 6.5 million from victims, with an average loss per person of $ 146,306.
On a March 10 statementThe California DOJ said that since international fraud often conducts scams, they are difficult to persecute and arrest.
Common threads on scam websites are high return promises, no contact information, offer prizes for signing up, and no list on legitimate crypto industry websites such as CoinMarketCap, the California DOJ said.
Related: Crypto lost to exploits, scams, that -The $ 1.5B in February with Bybit Hack: Certik
A report from the on-chain security firm identified Pig Butchering Schemes as one of the most expensive in 2024Estimating the scam is worth the industry of more than $ 5.5 billion over 200,000 determined cases.
Meanwhile, blockchain security firm Certik’s Annual web3 security report flagged crypto phishing attackswhich costs users of $ 1 billion in the entire 296 incident, as the most significant security threat of 2024.
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