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The SCARS Institute Magazine about Scam Victims-Survivors, Scams, Fraud & Cybercrime
Europol Takes A Major Step Forward
By Europol
Criminal Misuse Of Cryptocurrencies – Shaping An International Response
A Europol co-organized hybrid international conference on the Criminal Misuse Of Cryptocurrencies attended by 1,300 participants has concluded that tackling the criminal use of cryptocurrencies is a race against time. Law enforcement agencies that collaborate in joint task teams and proactively collaborate with the private sector are getting ahead of the criminals. In contrast, countries that do not take the risks seriously are in danger of becoming a haven for crypto-enabled scams, money laundering, and terrorist financing.
Co-organized by Europol and the Basel Institute on Governance, the 7th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies was hosted at Europol’s headquarters.
The two-day event (26-27 October), organized in a hybrid format, was attended by representatives from law enforcement, the public and private sectors, policy institutions, and academia from more than 100 countries. The aim was to explore trends and strategies to tackle crimes involving cryptocurrencies.
The discussions focused on the key issues associated with combating the criminal misuse of these virtual assets, including:
- Trends and threats in relation to the criminal use of cryptocurrencies, including evolving scam typologies.
- Growing adoption of cryptocurrencies by criminals, particularly in underground banking.
- Evolving legal frameworks around virtual assets in the European Union.
- Current institutional capacity to tackle money laundering, terrorist financing and other crimes involving cryptocurrencies.
- Public-private cooperation in cryptocurrency investigations and confiscation proceedings.
- Best practices in investigative and regulatory responses.
On the second day of the conference – which was restricted to law enforcement only – national investigators and Europol shared their experiences in cryptocurrency investigations. Among the topics of discussion were methodologies for exploring criminal operations in dark markets and scams involving cryptocurrencies.
The conference participants converged around a set of recommendations to strengthen skillsets, improve knowledge, boost expertise and encourage best practices for crypto asset investigations and recovery. Peer learning forums such as this conference are key to achieving all of these challenges. These recommendations will be made available to the public in the weeks to come.
Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, Europol’s Deputy Executive Director Operations, said:
Criminals aren’t giving up on misusing cryptocurrencies anytime soon. Europol’s Strategy ‘Delivering Security in Partnership’, adopted earlier this year, highlights the pivotal role that cryptocurrencies play in the financial schemes of criminals. Europol is convinced of the value of partnering with the Basel Institute on Governance to bring together law enforcement and private sector representatives from across the world to share their insights and to collaborate on how we respond to emerging technologies.
Gretta Fenner, Managing Director of the Basel Institute on Governance, said:
Our Basel AML Index shows that countries struggle to address money laundering and terrorist financing risks related to virtual assets. Events like this are crucial to build capacity in law enforcement and maximise the opportunities of public-private and cross-border collaboration. We are proud to partner with Europol to organise the conference for the seventh year.
The annual conference is organised by the Working Group on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies, established in 2016 and led by the Basel Institute on Governance and Europol.
More:
- Basel AML Index | Basel Institute on Governance (baselgovernance.org)
- Home | Basel Institute on Governance (baselgovernance.org)
- 7th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies | Europol (europa.eu)
- Agenda for the 7th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies (europa.eu)
- Basel LEARN: free courses on financial investigation, asset tracing, intelligence gathering and more | Basel Institute on Governance (baselgovernance.org)
SCARS Resources:
- For New Victims of Relationship Scams newvictim.AgainstScams.org
- Subscribe to SCARS Newsletter newsletter.againstscams.org
- Sign up for SCARS professional support & recovery groups, visit support.AgainstScams.org
- Find competent trauma counselors or therapists, visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
- Become a SCARS Member and get free counseling benefits, visit membership.AgainstScams.org
- Report each and every crime, learn how to at reporting.AgainstScams.org
- Learn more about Scams & Scammers at RomanceScamsNOW.com and ScamsNOW.com
- Global Cyber Alliance ACT Cybersecurity Tool Website: Actionable Cybersecurity Tools (ACT) (globalcyberalliance.org)
- Self-Help Books for Scam Victims are at shop.AgainstScams.org
- Donate to SCARS and help us help others at donate.AgainstScams.org
- Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: International Suicide Hotlines – OpenCounseling : OpenCounseling
- Campaign To End Scam Victim Blaming – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
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Important Information for New Scam Victims
Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
SCARS Institute now offers a free recovery program at www.SCARSeducation.org
Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery
If you are looking for local trauma counselors, please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and not to blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and help victims avoid scams in the future. At times, this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims; we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens, and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
SCARS INSTITUTE RESOURCES:
If You Have Been Victimized By A Scam Or Cybercrime
♦ If you are a victim of scams, go to www.ScamVictimsSupport.org for real knowledge and help
♦ Enroll in SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org
♦ To report criminals, visit https://reporting.AgainstScams.org – we will NEVER give your data to money recovery companies like some do!
♦ Follow us and find our podcasts, webinars, and helpful videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RomancescamsNowcom
♦ Learn about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
♦ Dig deeper into the reality of scams, fraud, and cybercrime at www.ScamsNOW.com and www.RomanceScamsNOW.com
♦ Scam Survivor’s Stories: www.ScamSurvivorStories.org
♦ For Scam Victim Advocates visit www.ScamVictimsAdvocates.org
♦ See more scammer photos on www.ScammerPhotos.com
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Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this and other SCARS articles are intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
Note about Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices have the potential to create psychological distress for some individuals. Please consult a mental health professional or experienced meditation instructor for guidance should you encounter difficulties.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here
If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair, please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.
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A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish. Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors’ experience. You can do Google searches, but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
