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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Federal agents have seized more than $1.2 million from scammers who used fake texts to trick Americans into bogus cryptocurrency investments.
U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price, for the Western District of Missouri, announced the civil forfeiture complaint on Friday, Dec. 19.
Prosecutors said the scammers targeted victims nationwide through what is known as a “wrong number” scam.
Investigators indicated that the scheme started with a simple text. Scammers would send messages to random phone numbers, pretending they texted the wrong person.
Once they built trust with their targets, Price noted that the scammers pitched what appeared to be legitimate crypto investment opportunities. They promised huge returns.
Victims were convinced to buy crypto and transfer it to fake investment platforms called TMGM and NEEX, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
When victims tried to withdraw their money, Price said the scammers made excuses or demanded additional payments.
Investigators indicated that they used blockchain analysis to trace the stolen funds. The FBI is continuing to investigate the case.
The civil forfeiture complaint is not a criminal charge. Prosecutors must still prove in court that the money is connected to fraud.
If the forfeiture is successful, the government will then permanently seize the funds.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted by crypto investment fraud should report it to the FBI HERE.
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