Canadian Scammer Steals $2M in Crypto by Impersonating Coinbase

A Canadian scammer impersonated Coinbase support, stealing over $2 million in crypto from users through social engineering. The funds were spent on luxury items, with the scheme exposed by blockchain investigator ZachXBT.

A Canadian individual, known online as Haby or Haverd, allegedly stole over $2 million in cryptocurrency by impersonating Coinbase customer support. The scam involved contacting users with claims of account issues, convincing them to grant remote computer access, and draining wallets containing assets like BTC, ETH, and XRP. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT traced the scheme by analyzing Telegram chats, social media posts, and on-chain transactions, linking the suspect to multiple thefts, including a confirmed 21,000 XRP heist worth $44,000. The scammer reportedly spent the stolen funds on rare social media usernames, bottle service, and gambling, often boasting about the crimes online. The investigation revealed poor operational security, with frequent name changes and public posts aiding attribution. The case highlights the growing threat of social engineering in the crypto sector, prompting exchanges to enhance security measures and experts to advise users to adopt hardware wallets and official apps for verification.