A local news outlet reported that a hacking group called the Shiny Hunters sent ransom demands to Waltio after seizing personal data from about 50,000 users.

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Authorities in France have started a preliminary investigation into a breach of cryptocurrency tax platform Waltio that may have compromised users’ personal data.

According to a Thursday notice by French cybersecurity authorities, the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office and the country’s National Cyber ​​Unit were investigating the nature of the stolen data and identities of Waltio users. The notice warned that users affected by the breach could be targeted in an attempt to move their digital assets under the guise of legitimate security concerns.

Thursday notice on Waltio data breach. Source: Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office

According to a Friday report from Le Parisien, a group of hackers called the Shiny Hunters sent a ransom demand to Waltio following the attack. The hackers obtained personal data from about 50,000 Waltio users, the majority of whom were based in France.

Many criminals have targeted crypto users globally in person after obtaining personal data regarding their holdings, names and addresses. The agency warned that affected users could be targeted in social-engineering or extortion attempts, including rare but documented cases of physical coercion linked to cryptocurrency theft.

Related: Crypto takeaways from Davos: Politics and money collide

The targeting of crypto users or their relatives has become known colloquially as a “wrench attack,” in which a criminal kidnaps or holds someone hostage, sometimes using violence to force them to transfer their digital assets. Some users in France have been the victims of such attacks, and there are similar reports from several countries.

French financial regulators oversee MiCA transition period

Authorities in France reportedly issued warnings to crypto companies not in compliance with the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) framework. The regulation, passed by EU policymakers, gives companies a transition period ending June 30 to provide notice as to whether they will seek a MiCA license or wind down operations in the country.

Magazine: A ‘tsunami’ of wealth is headed for crypto: Nansen’s Alex Svanevik

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