French Couple Targeted Three Times Over Crypto They Never Had
A French couple was targeted three times after leaked data wrongly linked their home to former owners believed to hold €1 million in crypto.
A young couple in France’s Somme department was targeted three times by criminals searching for cryptocurrency they never owned, after leaked information apparently linked their home to its previous owners.
The couple, an agricultural worker and a banking executive, bought the property after it had been owned by wealthy retirees reportedly associated with cryptocurrency. Information belonging to the former owners, including their tax details and home address, was apparently exposed in a data breach and later appeared for sale on the dark web.
The information was apparently not updated after the property changed hands, leaving the new occupants exposed to criminals who believed the address was connected to a cryptocurrency fortune worth roughly €1 million.
The first attempted intrusion took place on June 24. The couple’s dogs reportedly scared the attackers away before they could get inside.
Two days later, on June 26, another group managed to enter the property. One of the residents was restrained while the other was assaulted. Part of the attack was reportedly streamed on Snapchat.
The attackers eventually realized they had targeted the wrong people and left without obtaining the cryptocurrency they were looking for.
Following the second attack, the couple installed an alarm system.
It proved useful on July 17, when a third group attempted to break into the property. The alarm was triggered and the attackers fled before another invasion could take place.
Two men, aged 20 and 21, were later arrested in connection with the third attempt.
The case was heard at the Amiens criminal court on August 11. One of the defendants was reportedly recruited through Telegram to help gain entry to the property.
The two men received prison sentences of three years and 18 months, respectively. The sentences included suspended portions, meaning the full terms were not served immediately in custody.
The convictions followed an investigation into the attempted break-in. The couple is now reportedly looking to sell the property because of continuing concerns about their safety.
The case comes amid a sharp increase in physical attacks connected to cryptocurrency.
CertiK recorded 52 verified crypto wrench attacks worldwide during the first half of 2026, with 33 occurring in France. The security firm also recorded 20 home invasions in the first half of the year, compared with just one during the same period in 2025. Total recorded financial exposure from the attacks reached approximately $124.1 million.
French authorities use a broader definition when counting crypto-related physical incidents. According to the figures cited by Coinpaper, authorities recorded 77 incidents during the first half of 2026, compared with 45 during the same period a year earlier.
The difference between the 33 cases recorded by CertiK and the 77 reported by French authorities reflects the different methodologies used to count incidents.
The Somme case shows how leaked personal information can create risks that extend well beyond online fraud.
CertiK has described the growing use of data-driven targeting, in which criminals combine leaked databases, tax information, residential details, exchange information and other data to identify potential cryptocurrency targets.
In this case, the information apparently remained tied to a property even after its previous owners had moved out.
That meant the criminals were looking at an outdated trail of information and ended up targeting people who apparently had no cryptocurrency to surrender.
For the couple, the consequences were very real: three separate attempts to reach the same home in less than a month, followed by the decision to put the property up for sale.
Sources: Coinpaper, Bitcoin.com and CertiK
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