The Murfreesboro Police Department is warning the public of a Bitcoin scam that’s targeting elderly residents. MPD reports that scammers are posing as law enforcement officers and calling victims to claim they missed a court date and have outstanding warrants. The callers tell the victims to withdraw large amounts of cash from their bank accounts, take the money to a Bitcoin ATM and deposit it into an account. The scammers will then request a QR code or IP address to “confirm” the deposit.
Once the money is deposited into a cryptocurrency wallet, detectives say the funds will disappear within hours and become nearly untraceable. “No local, state, or federal law enforcement officer will ever ask for money to dismiss a warrant,” CID Fraud Detective Tommy Massey said. “We don’t handle cash.” Investigators say these cases are difficult due to the fraudsters often operating outside of the U.S.
“The biggest problem with these scams is that most victims are elderly and retired, and they cannot recoup the lost money,” Massey said. “That makes them some of the most vulnerable people in our community.” Police urge residents to hang up immediately if someone calls claiming there is a warrant for their arrest and instructs them to pay with cryptocurrency. “Anyone who is a victim or knows someone who is can contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 615-893-2717.”
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