The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Troop L – Reading is advising the public of a newer Bitcoin Scam.
Victims are reporting that they were contacted via email, phone or other electronic means advising them that fraudulent activity has occurred utilizing their personal information. These electronic communications further advise the Victims to reach out to actors posing as representatives for their financial institution. From here this “representative” directs the Victim to a federal agency such as the FBI or Federal Trade Commission, to speak to an investigator.
This “investigator” then directs the Victims to make large cash withdraws from their banking accounts and then requests that they deposit the money into local Bitcoin Kiosks in order to “safeguard their money”. Once the deposit is made into the kiosk the “investigator” requests the Victim provide confirmation via a paper receipt or links the account to theirs via a QR code. The receipt contains a numerical key which allows the actor to access the money deposited into the kiosk and ultimately the money is transferred unbeknownst to the Victim.
Due to the nature of Bitcoin, once the transfer is complete it is essentially untraceable and cannot be tracked to a specific individual. It appears that the actors are “spoofing” their telephone number to make it appear that the Victim is truly speaking to someone from their financial institution. There is normally no solvability due to the nature of the crime. These incidents appear to be targeting folks specifically of retirement age.
National Do Not Call Registry: 888-382-1222
Federal Trade Commission: 877-382-4357
Forward phishing emails to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov
Better Business Bureau: 877-267-5222
National Center for Disaster Fraud: 866-720-5721
IRS’s database of Charity Organizations: www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search
US Postal Inspection Service: 877-876-2455
Pennsylvania Attorney General: 800-441-2555
For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit www.psp.pa.gov.