Abstract

In the past ten years, there has been an explosion in the number of cryptocurrencies developed. This rise in cryptocurrencies has induced a rise in assorted fraud associated with the vast array of largely indistinguishable currencies. First I will examine the dynamics of coin creation, competition, and destruction in the cryptocurrency industry. I then investigate the growing trend of cryptocurrency pump and dump scams, a method of price manipulation. Finally, I analyze the role of cryptocurrency exchanges in perpetuating this sort of fraud.

Bio:

Marie Vasek is a Lecturer in Information Security at the UCL Department of Computer Science. Before joining UCL , she was an assistant professor in the computer science department at the University of New Mexico. She co-directs StopBadware, an anti-malware organization for which she started working in 2011. Her research focuses on cybercrime measurement, particularly web-based malware and abuse using cryptocurrencies. She received a PhD from the University of Tulsa, an MS from Southern Methodist University, and a BA from Wellesley College, all in computer science.