JOURNAL ARTICLE

Mass texts and EZ-Pass phishing: $17 billion stolen in crypto scams, largely by the Chinese.

  • Published In: Fortune.com, 2026. P. N.PAG 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Garcia, Carlos 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on the rise of cryptocurrency scams, particularly those orchestrated by a Chinese-backed criminal network, which has reportedly stolen $17 billion from individuals. Jacqueline Burns Koven, head of cyber threat intelligence at Chainalysis, testified before the Senate about the increasing sophistication of these scams, which often involve impersonation techniques and AI-generated deepfakes. The EZ-Pass phishing campaign is highlighted as a notable example, linked to a group known as "Darcula." Despite a record number of crypto seizures by law enforcement, responses to these scams remain fragmented, prompting calls for the use of advanced technologies like AI to prevent such fraud before it reaches victims. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Fortune.com. 2026/01, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Computer Science
  • Publication Date:2026
  • Accession Number:191010937
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