AG Rob Bonta today warned Californians of the proliferation of fraudulent cryptocurrency websites and vowed to continue to protect consumers from crypto confidence scams, sometimes referred to as “pig-butchering” scams. While these scams are often carried out by international scammers who are difficult to prosecute and arrest, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) is mitigating these scammers’ effectiveness by shutting down fake websites used to entice victims with fictitious investment returns. In 2024, the California Department of Justice shut down 42 fraudulent websites that scammed innocent victims out of at least $6.5 million, with an average loss per victim of $146,306. “As scammers grow increasingly sophisticated and calculated, so must our enforcement,” said Attorney General Bonta. 

Attorney General Bonta Protects Californians by Shutting Down 42 Fake Cryptocurrency Websites in 2024 | State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General