RESEARCH TITLE: Computational Analysis of Cryptocurrency Fraud

Abstract: Cryptoassets represent a fundamental shift in the way we perceive, interact, and transact with financial instruments, potentially heralding in a new era of economic freedom and possibilities. Characterised by distributed decentralisation, cryptoassets promise financial freedom, and aim to bring the outdated financial sector fully into the internet age.

Crime follows money, and financial crimes are amongst some of the longest existing types of crime, constantly needing to be battled and requiring countermeasures to be upgraded as monetary systems evolve. Just as the internet amplified existing problems (e.g. child pornography distribution), and brought new cybercrime problems of its own (e.g. ransomware), there is no reason to think that cryptoassets will be any different, especially as there is often monetary incentive. The goal of this research is to examine the landscape of cryptoasset fraud to identify the current and potential fraud threats, and investigate these threats from a computational perspective, with a focus on potential preventive measures.

Graduate teaching assistant in: Data science