Bloomingdale police warn seniors of a surge in cryptocurrency scams, stealing nearly $100,000 recently. Senior victims have been manipulated into withdrawing cash and using cryptocurrency ATMs. Police stress that no legitimate entity will ask for cryptocurrency transactions. They’re urging families to monitor financial activities of elderly relatives and report any suspicious activity immediately.
Bloomingdale police have issued a warning following a string of cryptocurrency-related scams aimed at senior citizens, resulting in nearly $100,000 stolen in just two weeks. Detective Dominick Corsiglia highlighted that these scams mainly involve phone calls and emails that specifically target the elderly community.
One alarming case involved a victim losing $63,000 and nearly sending an additional $15,000 before Bloomingdale Public Safety Director Frank Giammarese intervened. Scammers have been adept at misleading victims over the phone, often keeping them on the line while directing them to withdraw cash, visit cryptocurrency ATMs, and convert their funds into digital currency, according to Giammarese.
In another instance, scammers pretended to represent PayPal, convincing a woman that she had incurred a $1,000 fraudulent charge. This led her to call the first number she found online, possibly misled by a sponsored ad. In a frightening turn, the fraudsters took control of her computer, insisting she withdraw $25,000 from her personal account to resolve the supposed issue. At a Bitcoin ATM, Giammarese recognised the scam just as she sent $24,800, but unfortunately, the funds weren’t recoverable.
Another elderly resident responded to an email from supposed anti-virus software, which claimed he owed a late fee. Following instructions from the caller, he mistakenly sent $30,000 instead of the $3,000 he believed he owed, losing a total of $63,750. Detective Giammarese again stepped in, preventing further loss by dissuading him from sending another $15,000.
Victims reported scam attempts across various well-known organisations including Best Buy Geek Squad, Charles Schwab, and even the Internal Revenue Service. In some cases, extortion was attempted by threatening to disclose embarrassing information to their families, said Corsiglia. Victims are also being coached on what to say if a bank teller questions their large cash withdrawals, often advised to claim it’s for home repairs or similar justifications.
Currently, there are at least ten cryptocurrency ATMs located within Bloomingdale businesses, which the police confirmed are not complicit in these scams. Giammarese emphasised that no legitimate entity would ask for cryptocurrency in this manner, warning about the telltale signs of fraud.
Corsiglia further advised seniors to think carefully before transferring money to unknown sources and encouraged friends and family to keep an eye on their elderly loved ones. The importance of reviewing financial statements regularly cannot be overstated, as victims can easily be exploited through their generosity.
If anyone suspects they are a target of a scam, they should immediately end the call and contact authorities at 911. The FBI has reported receiving nearly 150,000 complaints about cryptocurrency scams in 2024 alone, with losses amounting to over $9 billion. To combat this issue, the AARP is pushing for laws to limit cash transactions at cryptocurrency ATMs and mandate signage to warn against potential fraud.
