Portland residents are being warned that scammers are using Bitcoin ATMs to bilk victims out of their money.
Fraudsters have been sending urgent-sounding, fear-evoking messages through pop-up windows on computers, emails and texts to victims, according to Portland police. The messages state that personal information, such as bank account or social security numbers have been compromised, or that there is a billing issue with a company such as PayPal or Amazon. Fraudsters may also claim there is something to do with child pornography on a victim’s computer.
The victims are then instructed to call a number and then are instructed to deposit money in a Bitcoin ATM, which actually deposits the cash directly to the scammer’s digital wallet. The scammer is then never heard from again, police said.
"Remember, these scammers can be convincing, and use fear, urgency and scare tactics to get you to comply,” police stated in a press release. “If you receive this warning via a pop-up banner on your computer, in an email or text message, do not call the number provided on the screen.”
Police recommend the following safeguards:
- Stop all communication with the scammer;
- Stop making any major financial decisions until your accounts are secured;
- Gather all records you have of the scam;
- Notify your financial institution and other companies where you have an account that may have been affected;
- Change all your passwords to your accounts, including social media sites;
- Protect your devices that you use to communicate with the scammer, such as your computer, laptop, tablet and cellphone;
- Ensure security or operating software on your device is up-to-date;
- Install anti-spyware protection on your computer;
- Perform a virus scan of your hard drive and files;
- Do not send your personal, credit card or online banking details in an email.
Visit https://www.ic3.gov/ to report a digital crime.