This is looking more than just wrench attack

[Hamza2424]

I remember a case in my country where two Bankers in a bank are the ones giving armed robbers information about people who have alot of money in their bank account, it went on for few years before they are caught and their victims have ranged between 14 to 20 while some are been killed already.

It is common in many countries when bankers become corrupt and give insider information to their fellows, who follow people and use different techniques to steal money from someone who has just withdrawn a lot of it. The same must be happening in France. I was also reading this report, and it is really terrifying because 40+ reports mean a lot of cases. I think there would not be even one or two in my country, and they had 40 of them.

There must be some solid reason, and we all should explore that reason so we will not have to face that factor in our country. Maybe the local platforms they are using are giving their information to these scammers. Maybe someone from the authorities is sharing the information of crypto taxpayers with these attackers.

[Lucius]

Snip

This raises a lot of questions about data protection and who has access to what in these agencies in charge of receiving and protecting data of consumers. It is crazy that one person could put the lives and assets of thousands at risk, simply because they wanted to play by the books and give their data to the government.

I think there should be proper vetting of staff who are in such positions and there should also be limited access to such information. But nonetheless, this is just further proof of how dangerous kyc can actually be.

And this is happening in France, which should be an example for others - how do you think such data is treated in some other much more corrupt countries within the EU? It doesn't occur to me to admit to the state that I have anything to do with cryptocurrencies, because first of all, most politicians are corrupt and they don't care about the people, not even 1%, and too many problematic people work precisely in services that have very sensitive data.

Unfortunately, you can never rule out the possibility that someone will misuse such data, some just because they are greedy, others because someone is blackmailing and threatening them.

[HyprBet]

This is why opsec is #1. Wrench attacks are extremely rare when you zoom out, however zooming in you will see that a lot of these attacks are sophisticated and required KYC. Why would anyone in the world ever be susceptible to KYC in the crypto sector? Centralizing something decentralized even with a 10x moon in view is still a dangerous liability. Currently the attacks are sophisticated and meticulously orchestrated, what happens when there is a complete dump readily available for all to see, hardened gang members, criminals, the mentally ill, depressed, now all see Katie, Jacob, Scott and Peter have owned X amount of crypto.. Whether they still own it or not, they are the easiest path to millions, only a few words away from all the pain going away.. Maybe Katie has it, maybe Peter, I don't think they care, inevitably the results will come, all they have to do is just keep going down the list. Do Not KYC under any circumstance and look for businesses who use BTCpay for processing. Stay safe.

[Z-tight]

[And this is happening in France, which should be an example for others - how do you think such data is treated in some other much more corrupt countries within the EU?

Much worse in third world countries that are big on regulating the crypto industry in their jurisdiction. I believe there would be a few cases of $5 wrench attacks in third world countries that go unreported. We hear about these cases in France for obvious reasons and because in most cases, the police arrests the kidnappers. I'm sure in third world countries, there would be little to no chance of ever getting your crypto back and the media would surely be uninterested in the case.

[Lucius]

@Z-tight, I was thinking of countries that are within the EU, but are located on the eastern wing where crime of all kinds flourishes. Everything and everyone is for sale there, it's just a question of how much money you need to have to buy someone or something. As always, those who are honest and want to pay taxes on cryptocurrencies will not be doing themselves a favor by being honest citizens.

I'm not saying that taxes should be avoided, just that such things have become a risk.

[m2017]

What if an inside job is going on in any crypto centralised company in that country? What if someone is selling information through deep web or whatever it's called?

This should be a compelling reason to avoid any KYCs (kidnapp your customer) and not disclose your crypto assets to regulators, as regulators are unable to keep your information (and your assets) secure and protect you from criminals. It's fine if you just lose a finger like Ledger co-founder David Ballan in 2025 when criminals try to get their hands on his crypto assets, but what if your life (or that of your loved ones) is at stake?

The DAC8 directive, which came into effect on January 1, 2026 (which also applies to France), directly threatens all crypto platform users. As a reminder, this directive requires crypto platforms to report all user information (name, address, portfolio size, number of trades) to tax authorities. This raises the question of whether France's dominance in $5 wrench attacks on crypto owners stems from the existence of the DAC8 directive. A partial data leak may have already occurred, which has been exploited by attackers.

[Lucius]

~snip~
This raises the question of whether France's dominance in $5 wrench attacks on crypto owners stems from the existence of the DAC8 directive. A partial data leak may have already occurred, which has been exploited by attackers.

I think that what is happening in France has nothing to do with that directive, but is a consequence of their local law (in my previous posts I posted a link that explains what it is about), and the fact is that if you own cryptocurrencies in France, you need to report to a certain agency, which then stores that data in a special program.

It seems to me that they are quite paranoid about domestic terrorism, given that they have a huge number of fairly radicalized residents. In one article, I read that France has about 800 no-go zones where the French government has practically lost all authority, and apparently they see the threat of financing possible terrorism in cryptocurrencies.

[UchihaSarada]

This should be a compelling reason to avoid any KYCs (kidnapp your customer) and not disclose your crypto assets to regulators, as regulators are unable to keep your information (and your assets) secure and protect you from criminals. It's fine if you just lose a finger like Ledger co-founder David Ballan in 2025 when criminals try to get their hands on his crypto assets, but what if your life (or that of your loved ones) is at stake?

KYC is extremely dangerous – and useless but we can not avoid tax report to governments and basically it is very dangerous to do any tax violation. When governments find any tax violation from citizens, they will take very harsh actions and punishments on citizens.

So if we want to avoid KYC as much as we can, we will have to be very careful and master how to do that, otherwise it is like a double-edge action which eventually might bring more troubles to us. If we avoid KYC on exchanges but lost our information and cryptocurrency addresses and holding information somewhere else, there are chances of collecting them and connecting them together and eventually might cause very big legal and financial issues.

[KiaKia]

I remember a case in my country where two Bankers in a bank are the ones giving armed robbers information about people who have alot of money in their bank account, it went on for few years before they are caught and their victims have ranged between 14 to 20 while some are been killed already.

This sounds like we are from the same country or continent, it's always the inside jobs and it's no more surprising, I have read countless news about banker's doing the crime from the inside.

It's really a good thing that Bitcoin exists, if it doesn't I don't know what I would be doing now because there will be no better place to keep your biggest money without the bank knowing that you have alot of money.

This case is still a wrench attack though, because keeping money in the bank doesn't says that you have alot of Bitcoin and these attacks are on people who have Bitcoin, somehow people are getting information that they shouldn't.

[Franklyn-wood]

It's looking like something or somehow people are getting information about people who have crypto or bitcoin, I don't want to use the what if but I don't have a choice.

What if an inside job is going on in any crypto centralised company in that country? What if someone is selling information through deep web or whatever it's called?

All these are highly possible. We have seen how exchanges like Coinbase has been very careless with their customers information, but it can be beyond this because their could be insider information in a way that the exchange may not know customers information has been leaked.

KYC is extremely dangerous, but there are instances that the victims caused it. Example is someone that revealed his crypto holding on social media and targeted by the criminals not long after.

But some people need to increase their security and their family security. Example is the David Balland, co-founder of cryptocurrency wallet firm Ledger, was abducted with his wife at their home in central France. These kind of people can not hide, so they are targeted.

If an insider information is going which causes loss of security and leading to theft of stocks and rendering the customer handicap, it will become something that will discouraged people from investment which become a bridge in trust and confidence.
Personal carelessness is a very dangerous thing to do in such time. I heard someone said he stores most of his information online, and I told him it was risky doin that, and can lead to serious repacuasion if hacked or leaked into the hands of people who have proper understanding of what to do with the information gotten.

[Byebyebtc]

It could be possible,
You know in this generation its quite horrifying what individuals can do to get money, so I will honestly not be surprised if there are insiders giving out informations of how rich their customers are

But what can we do?, we just hope that we don't fall victim of such, because you can never which  crypto company is into this,  who knows if it is even your own, or if these individuals are in all of them.

[ejikeme24]

It's looking like something or somehow people are getting information about people who have crypto or bitcoin, I don't want to use the what if but I don't have a choice.

What if an inside job is going on in any crypto centralised company in that country? What if someone is selling information through deep web or whatever it's called?

Of course it's possible because even most of the bank disclose customers details to scammers, since bank can do this then I think it can also happen in this crypto space especially in centralized exchange, that is why I prefer storing my assets in decentralized wallet where everything is been control by me. storing our assets in centralized exchange might be risky because I believe there are employees who are working for the company and most of them might decide to review some informations to thier friend who is away just as most of the bank agents do .

[m2017]

KYC is extremely dangerous – and useless but we can not avoid tax report to governments and basically it is very dangerous to do any tax violation.

I would have fewer questions about the taxation of crypto currencies if the police state didn't take this money by force (under threats and fines, and in some cases, criminal prosecution) and spend it inappropriately on infringing on the freedoms of its citizens with the help of these same money (collected through taxes), as well as money stolen by officials at all levels.

When governments find any tax violation from citizens, they will take very harsh actions and punishments on citizens.

Because it is an element of intimidation to force people to pay taxes under fear.

So if we want to avoid KYC as much as we can, we will have to be very careful and master how to do that, otherwise it is like a double-edge action which eventually might bring more troubles to us. If we avoid KYC on exchanges but lost our information and cryptocurrency addresses and holding information somewhere else, there are chances of collecting them and connecting them together and eventually might cause very big legal and financial issues.

I also predict that in the future, KYCs will be everywhere, and avoiding them will be virtually impossible (with the help of technology). No matter how much we dislike it now or how much we resent it, the question remains: when will attackers gain access to this data and how (and after how long) will they use it? A declared 0.01BTC now could prove a desirable target for attackers in the future (given the possible rise in the price of bitcoin). Therefore, you should think twice before disclosing even small savings (currently) in crypto currencies.

Be prudent (and technically savvy) and don't lose information about your crypto currencies, addresses, and other assets that attackers (or the government) could use against you.

[Agbe]

It's looking like something or somehow people are getting information about people who have crypto or bitcoin,

  You are not far from the truth. Those are the two most possible things that can happen to someone who has bitcoin. Either the person was telling someone that he has bitcoin so he arranged some gang members to became fake police to attack the guy and asked him to transfer and the other one is a close relative might attack him with the fake police.

[YellowSwap]

This is scary; if a record that the government asked people to declare their Bitcoin holdings in can easily be leaked and sold out by an official, then there are other data that are in the hands of the government that have been sold out this way.

Nothing is safe again; this is not just about cases of someone having a big mouth and spitting to the public the size of their pocket, but now it's from the desk of the government. Just because someone chooses to obey the law, they are now a target; everyone who has declared their crypto assets should be careful about their safety.

You will be surprised how it's easy for anyone that's working for the government to become compromised, apart from the fact that the example from OP is about banker who is betraying their customers I want you to look it the other way too.

If the government itself want people information without them knowing they will just ask the bank workers, I swear they will be very glad to help thinking that they are doing the government or their country a big favour.

It's really a big shame that Bitcoin was build for humans to stay ahead of control from government and right now that same government is pretending to support Bitcoineirs for holding Bitcoin, even Banks want from that money.

[o48o]

Can we say that this is another case of people running their mouth? Because something in me have starting to think that there is more to this wrench attack happening in France lately.

Since the beginning of 2026 there have been a total of 40+ wrench attack alone, can we all say that all these victims were running their mouth? I don't completely believe so ...



It's looking like something or somehow people are getting information about people who have crypto or bitcoin, I don't want to use the what if but I don't have a choice.

What if an inside job is going on in any crypto centralised company in that country? What if someone is selling information through deep web or whatever it's called?


I remember a case in my country where two Bankers in a bank are the ones giving armed robbers information about people who have alot of money in their bank account, it went on for few years before they are caught and their victims have ranged between 14 to 20 while some are been killed already.

Quick question: Why would any victim of extortion need to own bitcoin to be demanded to pay with it in the first place? I mean criminals can just force victim's hand and make them buy it and send it.

Also, while i am not trying to downplay pain of any real victims, there are several reasons to stage these and of the simplest scam of them is being covered with kidnap, ransom and extortion insurance.

And people who are wealthy targets for a crime rarely cover it well so they are rather easy to find. For example people who plan to rob someone's house don't do stake outs on poor rural area apartment houses to find easy marks.

[Ishicryptic]

With these recurring incidences of wrench attacks in France, I think the country is turning to the world's capital of wrench attacks because almost all the cases in recent times are from there. It raises the question whether the cases of these attacks are as a result of crypto holders talking too much about their assets or if there are syndocates that are behind these continuous wrench attacks.

With the high level of wrench attacks in that country we can conclude that there must be insiders that gives information to the criminals that attacks these innocent crypto holders. France government should step up their security intelligence to know the root cause of this attacks in their country so that crypto holders will feel safe in their country.