What does "pattern" mean here?

Question

I think the first "pattern" means "story", but I can't guess the meaning of the second one. Does it mean "identity", "crime", or something else?

"Identity tools can empower isolated victims who worry about their story's credibility or language barriers. Blockchain systems can also highlight problematic patterns before anyone officially reports them. The advisory firmGrant Thornton published a detailed list of factors that often correlate with human trafficking operations, including travel habits and payment methods. Earlier this month, the Vatican publically encouraged law enforcement agencies to learn more about cryptocurrency so that traffickers won't be able to hide their patterns through digital currencies like bitcoin."

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/un-will-use-blockchain-ids-fight-child-trafficking-2613948

Answer 1

Both are elliptic for something like "pattern of activity" or "pattern of behaviour". Compare the meaning given in the Oxford English Dictionary as 11.a:

A regular and intelligible form or sequence discernible in certain actions or situations; esp. one on which the prediction of successive or future events may be based. Frequently with of, as pattern of behaviour ...