CT State Police return more than $40K in stolen cryptocurrency to victim. What we know

Connecticut State Police detectives returned more than $40,000 in stolen cryptocurrency to the victim.

State Police said on March 15, 2024, detectives assigned to the Eastern District Major Crime Squad and Bureau of Special Investigations/ Statewide Organized Crime Investigative Task Force , as part of the Cryptocurrency Working Group, were contacted by the Norwich Police Department regarding a substantial cryptocurrency theft.

According to State Police, the victim reported that approximately $159,712.26 worth of cryptocurrency had been stolen. The victim said the money had been illegally removed from their cold storage wallet, known as a "wallet drainer."

Following an investigation and legal process, on Oct. 1, 2024, State Police detectives returned cryptocurrency with a total estimated value of $42,129.95 to the victim.

Tips to prevent cryptocurrency theft

Here are several pieces of advice from State Police to guard against cryptocurrency theft.

• Use two-factor authentication when allowed.
• When using cold storage devices (hardware wallets), keep your private keys safe and do not share with anyone.
• Create strong, unique passwords for your accounts.
• Beware of phishing or smishing attempts, and double check URLs and email addresses. Never click on suspicious links or download attachments from unknown sources.
• Keep software updated.

Those who believe they are a victim of a cryptocurrency scam should report it to their local police department and/or State Police, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) as well as csp.virtualcurrency@ct.gov .

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: CT State Police return more than $40K in stolen cryptocurrency to victim. What we know