Brewton Police are warning citizens about a rise in cryptocurrency scams. Following a recent incident where an officer prevented an elderly woman from losing $10,000, authorities stress the importance of being cautious with unsolicited money offers, especially involving Bitcoin or gift cards. In 2021, over 46,000 reports of such scams resulted in over $1 billion lost, highlighting ongoing concerns in the community.
A recent incident in Brewton, Alabama, highlights the surge in crypto scams, after a local woman nearly lost $10,000. Thanks to a vigilant police officer, however, the scheme was thwarted just in time. Sergeant Austin Johnson wasn’t on duty but was in the right place at the right time during a trip to the Tom Thumb store when he noticed an older lady engaging with a Bitcoin machine.
Sgt. Johnson’s instincts kicked in when he spotted the elderly woman standing by the machine with a large amount of cash. He commented, “It’s not common to see older individuals on their phones by a Bitcoin machine.” His curiosity led him to approach her, ultimately uncovering that she was about to fall victim to a fraud attempt.
Accompanying her to the bank, they were able to confirm the deceitful nature of the transaction and ensure her funds remained secure. This encounter isn’t an outlier according to Sgt. Johnson; he explained that similar scams are becoming increasingly frequent, with warning stickers reportedly displayed on Bitcoin ATMs.
The statistics surrounding such scams are startling. The Federal Trade Commission reported that in 2021 alone, over 46,000 individuals claimed to have lost more than $1 billion to cryptocurrency-related frauds. Sgt. Johnson described the typical scam scenario, saying that victims may receive offers that sound alluring, such as, “Send me a thousand dollars and I’ll send you back five thousand.”
He further emphasised the challenges of tracking these transactions, pointing out that criminals often request payment through Bitcoin or gift cards due to the immediate access they provide to the funds. “Once they have your money, it’s very difficult to recover it,” he noted. Such characteristics make these scams particularly insidious and tough to investigate, as emphasized by Brewton’s Chief of Police, Matt Jordan.
Jordan affirmed the department’s commitment to tackling these issues, albeit with difficulty, stating, “We try to track these people down who inflict emotional and financial harm to our community.” Officers advise extreme caution when approached by individuals promising money, particularly if the conversation pivots to gift cards or cryptocurrency as payment methods. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious communications to local authorities.
