Operation Atlantic Freezes $12M in Stolen Crypto

An international law enforcement operation led by agencies from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada has frozen 12 million dollars in stolen cryptocurrency and dismantled 120 fraudulent websites targeting victims of approval phishing scams. Dubbed Operation Atlantic, the weeklong effort, concluded in early April 2026, identified more than 20,000 compromised wallet addresses across 30 countries and directly contacted over 3,000 individuals to prevent further losses.

The operation focused on approval phishing, a tactic where scammers use deceptive pop-up ads or notifications mimicking legitimate cryptocurrency platforms to trick users into granting full access to their digital wallets. Once approved, criminals drain the accounts almost instantly, often as part of broader investment fraud schemes known as pig butchering, which build false trust to extract larger sums. Investigators tracked suspicious transactions in real time, revoking unauthorized access and securing funds before they could be moved. In total, authorities flagged more than 45 million dollars in suspected fraud proceeds, with the frozen assets held for potential restitution to victims.