More than $12 million has been frozen and 20,000 victims identified in an NCA-led international operation targeting cryptocurrency and investment scammers.
Operation Atlantic, held last month and co-hosted by the NCA, US Secret Service, Ontario Provincial Police and Ontario Securities Commission, focused on identifying victims who have lost, or were at risk of losing, cryptocurrency through 'approval phishing'.
Approval phishing is a scam where victims are tricked into granting criminals access to their cryptocurrency wallets, often as part of investment scams.
One UK victim identified during the operation is thought to have lost more than £52,000 to this fraud.
Working with private industry partners, Operation Atlantic identified more than 20,000 victims across the UK, Canada and the United States.
So far, the operation has secured and frozen more than $12 million in suspected criminal proceeds taken from victims in frauds and more than $45 million stolen in cryptocurrency fraud schemes has been identified around the world.
The NCA hosted law enforcement agencies at their London HQ and through real time intelligence sharing, technical capabilities and victim outreach, multiple fraud networks were disrupted across the world. City of London Police, Financial Conduct Authority and other international law enforcement bodies also joined the weeklong action.
Officers were joined by private sector organisations who played a critical role in tracing illicit transactions and identifying victims in real-time, meaning their money could be secured before it was moved by criminals.
This close partnership working across the public and private sector will be a core part of the government's Fraud Strategy, announced last month, which will connect the data, knowledge and expertise of industry and law enforcement and allow action to be taken earlier.
The NCA and partners will now continue to analyse intelligence gathered during Operation Atlantic to support victims and investigate potential criminal activity.
Miles Bonfield, Deputy Director of Investigations at the National Crime Agency, said:
"Operation Atlantic is a powerful example of what is possible when international agencies and private industry work side by side.
"This intensive action has led to the safeguarding of thousands of victims in the UK and overseas, stopped criminals in their tracks and helped save others from losing their funds.
"We know that fraudsters operate globally and, together with our international partners, so will the NCA to target them wherever they are based."
If you've been a victim of fraud, contact Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and reportfraud.police.uk. Or visit stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk for advice on how to protect yourself.
9 April 2026
