WhatsApp Fraud
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has sued several cryptocurrency companies for allegedly defrauding retail investors out of more than $14 million through fake WhatsApp investment groups and bogus trading platforms. The scheme, which ran from January 2024 to January 2025, used social media ads, deepfake videos, and AI-generated tips to lure victims. Regulators say the operators, based in China, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, misappropriated funds sent to overseas accounts.