The shocking figure highlights what officers describe as a “disturbing new trend” targeting long-term crypto holders who use cold storage devices.
A spokesman for the force’s cyber crime team explained: “We believe these individuals may have been identified through a data breach, making this a highly targeted and advanced scam.
“The case involves a victim who was contacted by a scammer posing as a senior UK law enforcement officer.
“The hook was a fabricated story: they claimed they had arrested an individual whose phone contained the victim’s personal identification documents, emphasizing a potential security breach.
“The scammer then exploited this sense of fear and urgency, instructing the victim to ‘secure their assets’ by logging into their cold storage device via a link they provided.
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“The victim, worried and believing that they were following police instructions, entered their seed phrase (password) into what was a sophisticated, fake website.
“This allowed the scammers to rebuild the victim’s wallet and, in a matter of moments, withdraw all the assets amounting to £2.1 million.
“We are now working to trace these funds, but there is an important message here for anyone who owns any cryptocurrency.
“Police will never call you unexpectedly to discuss your crypto assets or ask you to take action on your cold storage device. This is a big red flag.
“It is always okay to hang up and verify. If you receive an unexpected call from someone claiming to be from the Police, politely end the call and contact the police directly on 101 to verify that the contact is genuine.
“Your seed phrase (password) is your key. Never enter it anywhere except on your cold storage device itself during the initial setup or recovery process. A legitimate company or Police will never ask for it.
“This case serves as a reminder that scammers are constantly evolving their tactics.
“They are not just targeting new investors; they are crafting sophisticated social engineering schemes to trick even the most diligent holders.
“Stay vigilant, protect your assets and your seed phrase, and trust your instincts.”