Per the notice below, the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued an alert on virtual currency scams.

New York Department of Financial Services Urges Virtual Currency Customers to Take Steps to Protect Themselves from Cyber Criminals

Consumers should use caution before responding to outreach from individuals who may be falsely claiming to represent virtual currency entities.  Recent reports have indicated that criminals are using stolen personal and consumer account information to trick consumers into believing they are receiving legitimate calls, e-mails, and texts from a virtual currency company.  Cyber criminals often have stolen sufficient information to credibly impersonate a genuine communication from the consumer’s service provider – this can include personal information, Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and images of government IDs or accounts.  These cyber criminals request that customers transfer funds to a new account – tricking consumers into giving their assets to the criminals.  The criminals often try to create a false sense of urgency, such as by claiming that an account is at risk and that immediate action is needed, to pressure a customer into acting quickly.  All customers should exercise caution when contacted regarding their accounts or when asked to provide sensitive information or transfer funds.  If you receive unsolicited communications about your accounts, you should end the conversation.  Do not use contacts or links provided in these communications.  Instead, directly reach out to the company using a contact on the company’s public website or other trustworthy source.  Additional steps to protect yourself from scams can be found in our Consumer section.