The authorities in Greece recently proceeded with the first seizure of cryptocurrencies from a digital wallet totaling 273.000,00 USDT (Tether), as part of a criminal investigation.
As revealed by researchers of the Greek CSI at SKAI, the specific on-site seizure of the digital currencies took place in December, with the presence, supervision and guidance of the competent Prosecutor of the Hellenic European Public Prosecutor's Office, in the context of a criminal investigation carried out by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) with the cooperation of the Department of Examination of Digital Evidence of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, as well as the Department of Protection of Public Property and European resources of the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime.
Blockchains and cryptography
As the executives of the Greek CSI state, this particular case, which is a continuation of the "Admiral" operation, apart from its importance and obvious legal gravity, demonstrates the imperative need for the prosecuting authorities to adapt to the rapid technological developments.
They explain that cryptocurrencies, with their ability to provide anonymity and security, are often used for criminal activities, such as scams, money laundering procedures or even the financing of organized crime.
"Their successful confiscation requires precision, expertise and a deep understanding of the advanced technologies that govern blockchains and cryptography... a wrong action will lead to irreversible results, the complete loss of digital currencies" says Alexandros Vasilaras, Head of the Department Examination of Digital Evidence of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
At the same time, he explains that "the fate of the seized digital currencies will depend on the next stage of the hearing process. For example, in some Central European countries, their management and liquidation (conversion into money) is decided at the right time, with the aim of maximizing the benefit for the state apparatus."
Crypto scams in Greece
According to people in the crypto field, scams of this type have become a frequent phenomenon in Greece, as there is a great lack of information.
“It is a common phenomenon, we have too many people who are prone to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, but there are many businesses which accept cryptocurrencies but with some reckless comparisons with the euro" says Konstantinos Mandes, a computer engineer and cybercrime expert, in a MEGA report.
It is recalled that just a few days ago a big one became known scam with cryptobodies against a supermarket employee in Achaia. The online perpetrators managed to grab the exorbitant amount of 63 thousand euros from their victim.
As the cryptocurrency market breaks one record after another, more and more people are learning about crypto, bitcoin and nfts, however the same is the case with the complaints of people who wanted to invest and fell victim to scams.
The boom in the popular cryptocurrency is creating an optimistic mood and many are rushing to invest in the market, even if they have no crypto knowledge, as they hear estimates of further upside.
At the same time its technological progress artificialof intelligence, makes scams seem more real, even to the most sophisticated investors, industry professionals say.
