The U.S. Secret Service and the Bay Area Regional Enforcement Allied Computer Team collaborated to give answers to a crypto-focused Ask Me Anything on Reddit. During the questions and answers, the agency revealed that they love blockchain technology as it helps them track money, and they even own an NFT collection.
They further shared insights on how they track and solve crypto-related crimes and help crypto scam victims regain their funds. In their step-by-step process, the Secret Service shared with Reddit users how to keep their crypto safe from hackers and cybercriminals.
On their Reddit page, the US Secret Service announced, "Greetings r/Cryptocurrency, we are with the U.S. Secret Service’s San Francisco Field Office and the Bay Area Regional Enforcement Allied Computer Team, better known as REACT."
They further dictated their mission by saying, "Here in San Francisco, we have a squad dedicated to keeping cryptocurrency and its users safe. We are comprised of Special Agents and Analysts who have embraced the future of money, and we’re eager to share our work with this cryptocurrency community and provide resources and education to help keep your money safe. We’re also eager to learn from you. We’ll be here answering questions on May 15th from 11 am PT until 1 pm PT. Please feel free to submit questions in advance, and we’ll do our best to answer as many as possible." The intelligence agency went on to answer questions from the crypto community on Reddit for two hours.
Major Takeaways from the AMA Session
One major piece of information shared in the AMA session was the secret service crypto seize data. The agency revealed how they track down crypto scammers and return those funds to their victims.
During this session, the agency also revealed its own NFT collection. One of the Reddit users had asked them if they could try launching their own token or something like a meme coin, and the secret service replied, saying they already have their own NFT collection.
They didn't state if it goes against the US NFT regulation, but they mentioned they launched the NFT collection to learn how it works. "You know, we try to learn as much about the various digital assets in this space. Last year, during the NFT boom, we created and minted our very own collection to help us understand their mechanisms and functionality," the US Secret Service said on Reddit.
How the Secret Service Help Prevent Crypto Crime
The Secret Service mentioned they are actively helping crypto crime victims take the appropriate measures to recover their funds. According to the intelligence agency, they often direct these victims to use the official channels to file a scam complaint. They can take up the case and trace the criminal when this complaint is filed.
"Every case is different, but no hope if you don't report. True story — we came across a victim that reported their pig butchering on Reddit, but not IC3 or police. We had to reach out via Reddit to get the victim to file an IC3 report. That victim will get their money back as a result," the Secret Service said.