US and UK strike first joint pact to disrupt crypto scam centers

The US and UK are forming a new joint alliance to disrupt global scam centers that use crypto and cyber-enabled investment fraud to steal money from victims.

Under a newly signed memorandum of understanding, US and UK prosecutors and investigators will conduct parallel investigations, exchange information on organized crime targets and coordinate decisions over where to prosecute cases. The agreement brings together the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, England and Wales’ Crown Prosecution Service and the UK’s National Crime Agency.

Officials said the effort will target transnational organized crime networks operating scam compounds, including networks associated with Chinese organized crime and human trafficking. The agencies are also planning an in-person disruption event with private-sector partners in London in early October.

The cooperation marks a new phase for the US Scam Center Strike Force, which was established in November 2025 to combat crypto investment scams, cyber-enabled fraud, money laundering and human trafficking linked to scam centers, particularly in Southeast Asia.

According to the FBI’s IC3, reported losses from crypto investment fraud reached $8.65 billion in 2025, an 89% increase from 2023. Authorities said the actual losses are likely considerably higher because many victims never report scams.