As the interest in cryptocurrency increases in the United States, the number of automatic ticket distributors that facilitate cryptocurrency transactions is also.
With this convenience in place, crooks have emerged. They pulled thousands of dollars from vulnerable coloradans by enjoying both automatic ticket distributors and a lack of regulations around these machines.
“I did not know what Bitcoin … To tell you the truth, what it is,” said a man who asked not to be identified said at CBS Colorado.
Charles Krupa / AP
However, he did not let the lack of knowledge prevent him from putting $ 15,000 in a Bitcoin counter.
Such machines that are now relatively easy to find. They convert dollars into cryptocurrency.
“I received a telephone call at home on my cell and essentially the person on the other side, I said that they were with the sheriff (office) of the county of El Paso and that they had mandates for my arrest because I did not show up for the Grand Jury,” he said.
An SMS followed by a phone number of the Sheriff of the County of El Paso which included an image of a mandate with his name. It included a list of different loads with which he was confronted and the fines for each. The crooks told him if he did not pay him means a prison sentence.
“I was afraid, frustrated because I remembered anything. Very upset that something like that happened to me. I did not understand why,” he said.
With the false mandate, a QR code for a Bitcoin portfolio.
“They said that the way they could do it was that there were some Bitcoin machines in Colorado Springs which are attached directly to the Treasury Department. They say they” do not make it announce, but it is a way of being able to collect money “,” he said.
CBS
The unidentified victim withdrew his bank’s money and went to one of these machines and deposited the money.
“It was just essentially me standing there and they opened the account. I arrived on screen I and I put the money in $ 100 at the same time.”
Sgt. Ross Young directs the financial crimes unit at the Sheriff’s Bureau of Mesa County in western Colorado.
“A few clicks and this money can be in another country,” said Young.
After an influx in Bitcoin ATM scams in his region, they now have staff dedicated to investigating this type of crime.
“One of the things we have done is that with these crypto, the automatic counters being the means on which these scams are perpetrated, trying to obtain cooperation (and) trying to obtain information was difficult,” he said.
In September, the Federal Trade Commission reported a massive increase In losses related to Bitcoin ATM scams. In the first six months of 2024, American’s lost $ 65 million.
Young turned to the Senator of the State of Colorado, Janice Rich, who presented a bill to regulate these automatic ticket distributors and needs cooperation in Colorado.
“There have been cases where they have not had any information for 8 months. By then, this money has disappeared,” said Rich.
He said that the Legislative Assembly is also working on means of preventing this type of loss in the future.
“We want to put a daily transaction limit. We want to have regulations at the moment when this money can be returned,” said Rich.
These are protections that may have limited the loss for the man with which CBS Colorado has spoken and so many others.
“It is a pressure, I am on a fixed income, retired, so he came out of savings and he is lost,” he said.
In response to the influx of Bitcoin ATM scams, the FTC shared advice on how to avoid falling victims:
– Never click on the links or do not respond directly to unexpected calls, messages or windows.
– If you think it might be legitimate, contact the company or the agency, but see their number or its website yourself. Do not use the phone number that the appellant or the message gave you.
– To slow down. The crooks want to rush to you, so stop and check it. Before doing anything else, talk to someone you trust.
– Never remove money in response to an unexpected call or message.
– Do not believe anyone who says you need to use an ATM Bitcoin, buy gift cards or move money to protect it or solve a problem. Real companies and government agencies will never do that – and anyone asking is a crook.
