A French couple in their 60s was tricked into transferring approximately $1 million worth of Bitcoin to scammers impersonating police officers, authorities confirmed this week. The sophisticated social engineering attack, reported in southern France, highlights the growing threat of “police impersonation scams” targeting crypto holders.
The fraudsters contacted the victims by phone, claiming they were under investigation for money laundering linked to a major cybercrime ring. They allegedly threatened immediate arrest and asset seizure unless the couple “cooperated” by sending their Bitcoin holdings to a “secure police wallet” for verification. Over several hours, the couple was coerced into transferring BTC valued at roughly $1 million at the time of the handover while Bitcoin traded near $68,000.
French police and Europol have issued urgent warnings, noting a surge in such scams across Europe where criminals use spoofed official numbers, deepfake audio, and official-looking documents to build credibility. The couple only realized the deception after contacting real authorities the next day. Investigators are now tracing the stolen funds on the blockchain, but recovery remains unlikely due to rapid mixing and cross-border transfers.
This incident underscores the dangers of sharing wallet details or transferring funds under pressure, even when the caller appears legitimate. Experts advise never sending crypto in response to unsolicited official-sounding calls and always verifying directly through known channels.
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