A concerning scam involving a fraudulent trade company has come to light, targeting individuals under the guise of cryptocurrency transactions. Victims are led to believe they are part of a legitimate trading operation; however, when it comes time to receive payment, the scammers vanish. This scheme involves manipulating victims into receiving payments from others, buying cryptocurrency, and then transferring it to the scammers, resulting in significant financial losses.

Scam Details:

• Dollars Lost: $1213
• Location of Targeted Individual: IL, USA – 60652
• Scammer Contact Email: markhannana@coinshares.com
• Scammer Contact Number: 1(323) 677-6481
• Fraudulent Website: https://coinshares.com/
• Scam Type: Cryptocurrency
• Business Name (Used by Scammer): Cryptocurrency (Europe)
• Date Reported: December 18, 2023

This scam operates by creating a facade of a trading company, convincing victims to partake in their “operations,” which eventually leads to a financial loss for the victim without any return. Using a seemingly legitimate website and professional contact information makes this scam particularly deceptive.

If you have been a victim of this scam or have encountered a similar fraudulent operation, please share your experience. Your insights can be invaluable for others and assist in OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) efforts to uncover more about these scammers and possibly prevent further victims. Information such as the cryptocurrency addresses to which payments were sent, additional contact details, or correspondence can be particularly helpful.

Be cautious and always verify the legitimacy of any company that requires you to handle payments or cryptocurrencies on their behalf.