On June 27, a 77-year-old Aberdeen resident was scammed out of $12,000 after receiving a fraudulent phone call.
The caller, who claimed to be from Grays Harbor County, told the resident that he had failed to show up for jury duty and that he now had a warrant for his arrest, which could be approved after paying a $12,000 fine.
The caller instructed the man to withdraw $12,000 from his bank account and deposit it into a local Coinstar machine. He then had to transfer the money into Bitcoin.
Feeling uncomfortable about the transaction, the resident asked to verify the information with the county.
The caller provided a website that looked like the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office, but the site linked to the scammer, who confirmed the story.
Despite his misgivings, the resident completed the transaction but reported the incident to Aberdeen police an hour later.
Unfortunately, it is unlikely the man will get his money back, due to the encrypted nature of Bitcoin transactions.
Aberdeen Police reminded residents that police will never ask for money over the phone or request payment in Bitcoin.
Officers are urging the community to share this incident, especially with seniors who may not be aware of these types of scams.
