Revolut confirms ex-employee threatened to leak KYC data for crypto ransom

cointelegraph.com 5 h

Security

A cryptocurrency trader said a former Revolut employee tried to extort him by threatening to publish his personal information unless he paid a ransom, an allegation that Revolut has confirmed it reported to law enforcement.

The trader, who posts under the name TraderSZ, wrote in a Thursday post on X that the former employee threatened to disclose his identity and private details and also contacted members of his family. TraderSZ said relatives who used Revolut received messages seeking to pressure him into paying.

“They looked up my details and found any other family member using Revolut and contacted them to force to pay up or be blackmailed.”

TraderSZ posted screenshots he said show exchanges with Revolut’s customer support regarding the incident. Cointelegraph contacted TraderSZ for additional details, including what specific information was accessed and whether a formal complaint had been filed, but did not immediately receive a response.

Source: TraderSZ

Revolut confirms investigation, says no systems breached

A Revolut spokesperson confirmed that the company has reported the matter to law enforcement and that authorities are investigating the alleged conduct of a former employee.

“This matter relates to the unlawful and criminal actions of a third party, who is a former employee,” the spokesperson told Cointelegraph. “Following a review of the incident, we have confirmed that Revolut’s security systems and data protection protocols operated as intended and there was no procedural breach.”

The spokesperson said Revolut is in communication with the affected customer.

Related: Revolut stablecoin payment volumes surged 156% in 2025, researcher estimates

Revolut is a British fintech company that reached a $75 billion valuation in November 2025.

The platform offers a mobile banking application that surpassed 65 million global users in September 2025. It was one of the most downloaded financial services applications in 2024 across Western Europe, with a 7% market penetration, according to its annual report.

Related: Binance confirms employee targeted as three arrested in France break-in

Crypto ransom attacks are threatening investors

Ransom attempts and physical attacks are becoming an increasing threat to cryptocurrency investors.

In early February, French authorities arrested six people in a kidnapping and cryptocurrency-linked ransom plot targeting the magistrate’s partner, a crypto entrepreneur.

Throughout 2025, French authorities charged 25 suspects in cases related to kidnappings, attempted kidnappings and ransom demands.

Wrench attacks, key statistics for 2025. Source: Certik

Physical attacks targeting cryptocurrency investors, also known as “wrench attacks,” also increased by 75% during 2025 to 72 verified cases worldwide, according to cybersecurity platform CertiK.