Over 20,000 crypto fraud victims identified in international crackdown

Operation Atlantic, an international law enforcement action led by the UK's National Crime Agency, has identified over 20,000 cryptocurrency fraud victims across Canada, the UK, and the US. The joint operation froze more than $12 million in suspected criminal proceeds and identified over $45 million in stolen cryptocurrency linked to 'approval phishing' schemes. The FBI's parallel Operation Level Up has identified 8,000+ additional victims since January 2024, while the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report recorded 61,559 crypto investment fraud complaints totaling $7.228 billion in losses — a 48% increase in complaints from 2024.