Law enforcement in the U.S., U.K. and Canada have launched a joint operation to choke off a growing wave of crypto scams that prey on victims’ trust. Dubbed “Operation Atlantic,” the initiative focuses on stopping so-called “approval phishing” or “pig butchering” scams—schemes in which criminals cultivate online relationships, win victims’ confidence, then trick them into handing over access to crypto wallets and funds.
The U.S. Secret Service is leading the effort alongside the U.K.’s National Crime Agency and Canadian partners including the Ontario Provincial Police and the Ontario Securities Commission, working with both public- and private-sector services. Brent Daniels, Deputy Assistant Director for the Secret Service’s Office of Field Operations, said the goal is to move fast: “Approval phishing and investment scams cost victims millions in financial loss each year. During Operation Atlantic, the U.S. Secret Service, alongside our international law enforcement partners, will identify and disrupt these scams in near real-time denying criminals the ability to further profit from their crimes.”
U.K. National Crime Agency deputy director of cyber Paul Foster framed the operation as an escalation of cross-border cooperation: “Approval phishing scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Operation Atlantic is designed to protect the public by warning people early and helping them secure their assets. This joint international operation further enhances our strong partnerships. Criminals operate across borders, so our response must do the same.”
Operation Atlantic builds on a Canadian-led anti-fraud effort launched in 2024 known as “Operation Atlas” (referred to in statements as Project Atlas), which aimed to coordinate disruption across jurisdictions. “Project Atlas demonstrated the power of coordinated disruption,” said Detective Superintendent Jennifer Spurrell, director of the Financial Crimes Services Bureau at the Ontario Provincial Police. “We’re proud to be part of Operation Atlantic, which builds on that approach by uniting international partners to take action in real time.”
The timing underscores urgency: pig butchering and other crypto frauds have surged since 2020, and analytics firm Chainalysis estimated more than $17 billion was stolen in crypto-related crimes in 2025 alone. Operation Atlantic adds another enforcement layer to recent U.S. efforts—most notably the Department of Justice’s November launch of an interagency Scam Center Strike Force aimed at dismantling international pig butchering networks tied to Chinese crime syndicates.
For crypto users, the takeaway is twofold: increased law-enforcement coordination should help detect and disrupt scams faster, and vigilance remains crucial—especially around unsolicited romantic or investment approaches that soon request access to wallets or approval permissions. Authorities say the combined approach of early warnings, real-time disruption and cross-border cooperation is the most effective way to blunt these costly schemes.
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