MiCA Deadline Triggers Widespread Crypto Scams in EU
The EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation has triggered a wave of scams, as fraudsters impersonate European financial regulators and licensed crypto firms to target stranded users.
After the July 1 deadline passed, more than 1,700 exchanges without licenses were forced to direct customers to move their holdings to a licensed provider. This created a window that criminals are actively exploiting.
The French Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) has documented cases where fraudsters posed as its own employees and instructed customers of unlicensed exchanges to transfer assets to fake websites.
Stéphane Pontoizeau, executive director of the market intermediaries and market infrastructure supervision directorate at the AMF, said, 'This moment is an opportunity for scammers more than usual.'