A Keystone, Colorado, resident was defrauded of more than $6,000 in Bitcoin last week after being targeted by scammers posing as law enforcement officers. The fraudsters convinced the victim they had missed jury duty, pressuring them to transfer Bitcoin to avoid a warrant.
The local sheriff’s office issued a warning in response, stating, “A deputy will never contact anyone about a warrant or request payment in Bitcoin, gift cards, or wire transfers.” Another transaction involving $4,000 in Bitcoin was also underway, but deputies intervened before it could be completed. Unfortunately, by then, scammers had already accessed some personal information.
Bitcoin Scams on the Rise Across Colorado
Statewide, similar scams have been reported. In one instance, a Denver resident lost nearly $5,000 in Bitcoin after scammers, pretending to be Denver Police, convinced her she had missed jury duty. She later realized she’d been scammed after confirming with local authorities. Caller ID spoofing, which makes calls appear to be from official law enforcement numbers, has enabled scammers to more easily deceive victims.
Colorado has experienced a significant surge in crypto-related fraud, with over 1,300 incidents reported in 2023, costing victims more than $81 million. The state ranks 15th in the nation for crypto-related crimes. Earlier this year, the FBI’s Denver office issued a public advisory, warning that scammers often target religious communities. One case involved a pastor and his wife allegedly defrauding their community of around $3.2 million through a token called INDXcoin.
The sheriff’s office warned that scammers can be highly persuasive and that the irreversible nature of cryptocurrency transactions makes it challenging to recover stolen funds.
Homeland Security Steps Up to Combat Ransomware
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been actively intercepting crypto-related scams, preventing 537 ransomware attacks and reclaiming billions in stolen crypto since 2021. The DHS Cyber Crimes Center has been essential in shielding U.S. government agencies, often prime targets, from ransomware threats.
Meanwhile, phishing scams have led to substantial losses for crypto users. A Web3 anti-scam platform, Scam Sniffer, reported that in September alone, over 10,800 individuals lost $46.7 million to phishing scams, with Ether wallets being the primary targets. During Q3 2024, crypto theft from phishing attacks exceeded $127 million.
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