Crypto Exchanges
By Evie Vavasseur
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How Leaked Data Turns Into Targeted Fraud. Simonin's core concern is the intersection of multiple data leaks at once.
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AI Could Make This Much Worse. Right now, these scam calls seem to still be largely human-operated.
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What Platforms and Users Can Do. Simonin's warnings put pressure on crypto platforms to get more proactive.
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Owen Simonin is sounding the alarm. The founder and CEO of French crypto platform Meria — better known online as Hasheur — says fraudulent calls targeting crypto users in France…
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The scam playbook is pretty straightforward, and that's what makes it dangerous. Fraudsters get hold of leaked personal data, figure out which victims hold crypto and on which…
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Simonin's core concern is the intersection of multiple data leaks at once. It's not just one breach feeding these calls — it's several, layered on top of each other, from both…
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The big one that's gotten attention is the August breach at the General Directorate of Public Finances — the DGFiP, France's main tax agency.
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Simonin didn't specify exactly which private-sector breaches he was referring to alongside the DGFiP incident. No details on the companies involved.
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Right now, these scam calls seem to still be largely human-operated. But Simonin warned that won't last.
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Related: Hong Kong Banker Sentenced to 4 Years for $1.6 Billion Credit Scam and Crypto Bribes
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For now, his advice to users is simple: legitimate platforms don't cold-call customers out of nowhere asking them to move funds or hand over personal information.
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It sounds obvious. But the psychological pressure these callers apply — the urgency, the fear of losing money, the imitation of professional customer service language — works.
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The broader backdrop here is that crypto adoption in France, and across Europe generally, has grown enough that ordinary retail holders are now on scammers' radar in a way they…
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Simonin's warnings put pressure on crypto platforms to get more proactive. Clearer communication with users about what legitimate contact from the platform looks like — and what…
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See also: Binance Bitcoin Reserves Soar to 702,900 BTC as Price Surges Past $81,000
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