(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation today returned more than $15,000 to a victim of a cryptocurrency scam in a case that underscores the risks of fraud associated with crypto ATMs.
“Crypto ATMs are a favorite tool for scammers looking to steal victims’ hard-earned money,” said Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson, whose office oversees BCI. “It is time that, as a state, we look at taking action to protect Ohioans from these criminal tools. Ohio consumers should be extremely cautious when someone asks you to send cryptocurrency – a scam might be right around the corner.”
Since the creation of its Electronic Financial Investigations Unit in 2024, BCI has assisted law enforcement with 309 fraud cases involving $5.6 million in losses tied to crypto ATMs, also known as digital currency kiosks. Victims lost an average of $18,767 in the scams.
The machines, often found in convenience stores and gas stations, allow users to buy and sell cryptocurrency with cash or credit cards. The scams may trick victims, often seniors, into sending money directly to a scammer’s crypto wallet. Once a transaction is completed, it cannot be reversed, and the funds are hard to trace.
Today, BCI returned $15,300 to a 63-year-old Allen County woman who fell victim to a tech-support scam in 2024. The woman had received a pop-up message on her computer claiming the device had been hacked and telling her to call a fake Microsoft hotline. She called the phone number and spoke to the scammer, who instructed her to withdraw money, convert it to cryptocurrency and send it to the scammer via a crypto ATM.
After realizing this was a scam, the woman reported the incident to the FBI, which referred the case to BCI. The Electronic Financial Investigations Unit successfully traced and froze the stolen funds. Working in coordination with the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office, agents secured a search warrant and recovered the full amount.
“These scammers rely on the speed and confusion of cryptocurrency to exploit unsuspecting victims,” Allen County Prosecutor Destiny Caldwell said. “In partnership with BCI, we successfully recovered the stolen funds and returned every dollar to the victim.”
How to detect cryptocurrency scams
Education and prevention are the best deterrents for consumers against cryptocurrency scams.
Targets of fraud are typically older and seemingly vulnerable or confused. They might be prompted to call a phone number only to find themselves being directed to withdraw a large amount of cash (typically $500 to $20,000) and deposit it into a crypto ATM.
Scammers might use a variety of phony reasons to persuade their targets to pay, including:
- To provide bail or remove a warrant for a loved one
- To have a virus removed from a computer
- To get help with a hacked computer or account
- To keep alleged pornographic photos private
- To help an online romantic partner they have never met
In general, consumers are encouraged to be aware of potential scams and be skeptical if asked by unknown individuals to make transactions. Suspected scams should be reported to local law enforcement immediately.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dominic Binkley: 614-728-4127
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