Two charges are brought by the UK authorities in connection with the six-figure bitcoin fraud.

In connection with a blockchain fraud that resulted in a 75-year-old Aberdeenshire pension losing a six-figure amount, American authorities have detained and charged two guys.

The female victim reported the scams in July of that year, prompting Police Scotland to investigate.

Working with West Midlands and South Yorkshire Police, officers from the department’s North East section traveled to England yesterday to make the prosecutions.

They arrested a 54-year-old gentleman in Coventry and a 36-year-old in Mexborough, with both individuals being charged on the same day.

In a speech on the detention, Detective Sergeant David Williamson—of North East team’s Cyber-Enabled Crime Team—warned members of the public” to be mindful of engagement which appears false and to report this to authorities”.

The large sum involved in the fraud, according to Police Scotland’s statement, does not go into further detail, but it does suggest that it was a pig butchering scam where fraudsters establish an online relationship with their victim( s ) to pressure them into sending money.

Similar cases have been investigated by Williamson in the past, with one in 2021 scam resulting in the arrest of Yorkshireman Benjamin Riley for a 12-month area payback order in March 2024.

Williamson described how Riley created a fake software trading app on social media and received a £10, 000 purchase from an Aberdeen man who was 30-years-old when he spoke in March.

The investment was unable to get his money or get a hold of Riley, according to Williamson, who stated that the buyer had noticed that the investment stream had been deleted.

Frauds on the rise

Pig butchering scams have become the fastest-growing category of cryptocurrency fraud overall, with Chainalysis ‘ 2025 Crypto Crime Report finding that revenue from these exploits increased by 40 % in 2024.

It still accounts for a second of all fraudulent earnings, despite still being the second-largest type of crypto scam behind high-yield purchase scams ( also known as Pyramid schemes ).

And according to James Toledano, the chief operating officer at Unity Wallet, it’s not just a risk within the crypto market and industry.

” Cybercriminals use social advertising, dating-platforms or other digital connections to maintain long-term ties with their prey”, he told . ” Some patients lose significant amounts of their life savings, are saddled with debt, and live in extreme conditions of guilt and shame,” according to the statement”.

Toledano advised retail investors to display a heightened level of attention and to follow the proverb that “if it’s too good to be true,” next it’s probably not true, given the high potential expense involved.

He also urged exchanges and systems to step up, noting that” the business also needs to implement robust protective steps where they present sufferers with cautionary knowledge before allowing them to deal with a transaction. All banking apps in the UK already do this, and DeFi also may require this.”

Toledano stressed the importance of thoroughly researching and verifying the validity of any purchase channels or programs a fresh email urges you to use, as well as speaking with trusted family and friends before making any erroneous investments or transfers.

Toledano said that “it is challenging to reduce exposure to animal killing scams entirely,” but that “retail crypto investors can alleviate their danger by exercising caution with unanticipated messages or friend requests, particularly those that rapidly transition into discussions about investments or private finances.”