Police Recover $180K For Willimantic Crypto Scam Victim

WILLIMANTIC, CT — State police have recovered about $180,000 worth of cryptocurrency after a scammer stole it from a Willimantic resident.

The cryptocurrency was returned to the victim Feb. 12, police announced Thursday.

A scammer in July 2024 sent unsolicited texts to the victim claiming to be a successful cryptocurrency investor. The individual convinced the victim to transfer over $225,000 into a fraudulent investment platform called "XeggeX" before disappearing with the funds, according to state police.

Investigators intercepted and recovered 1.77 Bitcoin from the fraudulent wallet address.

Police urged residents to watch for warning signs of cryptocurrency investment scams, such as:

• Unsolicited investment advice through text messages or social media.
• Pressure to move conversations to WhatsApp or other messaging apps.
• Claims of guaranteed high returns with no risk.
• Romantic manipulation combined with investment pressure.
• Requests to transfer money through cryptocurrency.
• Professional-looking investment platforms with no point of contact.

If you have been targeted by a cryptocurrency scam, contact the state police’s Virtual Currency Working Group at csp.virtualcurrency@ct.gov or your local police.