Bitcoin

How crypto criminals stole $700 million from people - often using age-old tricks

As crypto wealth continues to grow, criminals are mixing sophisticated hacks with deception, and in some cases, real life violence.

Shops, restaurants and even the local council in Lugano now accept the cryptocurrency.

Joseph O'Connor, from Liverpool, hacked more than 130 accounts in July 2020 to promote a Bitcoin scam.

The UK has also frozen assets linked to the alleged scammers, including a £100m London office building.

Ryan Coleman, 36, had been trading under the pseudonym Snowcap on the dark web for several years.

The scammer posed as a UK police officer and used a fake story to steal the victim's password.

Mr Howells claimed his ex-girlfriend mistakenly chucked out a hard drive containing 8,000 bitcoins.

Police said Paul Chowles used his National Crime Agency role to "line his own pockets".

As Bitcoin's price goes up once again, here's a guide to some of the crypto market's trickiest terms.

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