⚠️ Kent Police Warn: 'Fake Police Officer' Calls Tricked Nine People Out of £1 Million

Police in Kent have issued a stark fraud warning after nine people lost a combined £1 million in a cryptocurrency scam built on fake police calls and stolen personal data.

The victims' personal details had been leaked online — and the scammers used that data to make the whole con look terrifyingly legitimate, even generating fake Action Fraud reports to back up their story.

Det Sgt Darryll Paulson, of Kent Police, said: "Don't be embarrassed about reporting a scam, it only takes a second to be distracted and fall victim."

The two-call script

Here is exactly how the scam ran. If you hear any of this on the phone, hang up — it is a scam.

  1. The "police officer" call. Someone claiming to be a police officer calls you and says your details were found in a data breach, and that an investigation has been launched. They reassure you everything is being handled — which is exactly what scammers want: you lower your guard.
  2. The "crypto host" call. You're told to "expect a call from your crypto wallet host." Then a second caller rings, claiming to be a security officer from the wallet company. They say your account is at risk — and to "secure" it, they need your seed phrase.

Your seed phrase is the 12 or 24 random words that act as the master key to your cryptocurrency wallet. Anyone who has those words owns your money. The fraudsters used the stolen phrases to drain the victims' wallets and move the funds, police said.

Why this scam is so dangerous

  • 🎭 It impersonates the good guys. The police, then the wallet company — two "trusted" voices back to back. That double-layer is designed to crush your doubt.
  • 📋 It uses YOUR data. Because the victims' details came from a real data leak, the scammers knew names, numbers and enough personal detail to sound convincing.
  • 🏛️ It even faked Action Fraud reports. They borrowed the name of the UK's national fraud reporting centre to make the fiction official-looking.
  • ⏰ It manufactures panic. Det Sgt Paulson warned that scammers "will often create urgency in the situation, such as telling them they need to act now to stop their funds from being stolen."

The golden rule: a seed phrase is never asked for. Ever.

No legitimate company, no bank, no exchange, and no police officer will ever ask for your seed phrase. Not by phone, not by email, not by message. The only people who want those 12-24 words are people who want to take everything in your wallet.

If someone asks for it, the conversation is over.

How to protect your family

  • 🔐 Never share your seed phrase — with anyone, for any reason. Write it down and store it offline, away from screens and photos. Anyone who asks for it is a scammer.
  • 🚔 Police never call to "reassure" you about a fraud investigation — and they never ask you to move, withdraw or "secure" money. If someone claims to be police, take their name, hang up, and call the force back on the official number from their website.
  • 📵 Expect a call? Verify it. If you're told to "expect a call from your crypto host," call the company yourself using the number on its official website — never a number the caller gives you.
  • 🧊 Urgency is the tell. "Act now or your funds will be stolen" is scripted pressure. Real institutions don't operate that way. Slow down and check.
  • 👨👩👧 Make a family rule: if anyone in the household is asked for passwords, seed phrases, PINs or card details over the phone, they hang up and tell a family member first.
  • 📰 Watch for data-breach follow-ups. After any leak, expect scammers to weaponise your details. Treat unexpected calls about "your data being found" as guilty until proven innocent.

If you think you've been targeted

  1. Do not share anything further. Hang up, and don't reply to follow-up messages.
  2. Contact your crypto exchange or wallet provider immediately through their official channels and report the wallet as compromised.
  3. Move any remaining funds to a new wallet with a brand-new seed phrase — but only if the wallet itself isn't already in the scammer's hands.
  4. Report it to Action Fraud — 0300 123 2040 or actionfraud.police.uk. You can also report via your bank's fraud team.
  5. If you've lost money, see our guide on how to get your money back after a scam.

The takeaway: data leaks happen. Fake police calls happen. But the moment anyone asks for your seed phrase, you know it's a scam — hang up, report it, and tell your family so they know the script too.