Residents of Bucks County, have been given notice by the Sheriff's Office of an ongoing scam that has robbed many of cryptocurrency, gift cards, and fiat. Per a recent statement, these scammers have called residents claiming to be representatives of the Sheriff's Office, even going as far as using the names of actual deputies to disguise their actions.
When speaking with potential victims, these scammers use intimidation and threats to get them to hand over personal information or send funds. When the victim tries to send funds, they are told to do so via gift cards, payments at kiosks in town, or cryptocurrency. These various methods are much harder to track than a bank transfer and thus put victims in an uncomfortable position.
While using cryptocurrency has many benefits, consumers also have to navigate a complex landscape. One of the risks within the landscape is scams, as criminals all over the world try to steal users’ cryptocurrency. While this happens with every valuable industry, crypto’s relative young age means that users may not know how to properly protect themselves.
For example, one of the most effective ways to avoid this sort of scam is to choose a secure wallet. A secure crypto wallet is one that will keep funds safe, not just from loss but also from scams. Many of these modern wallets can blacklist specific addresses, inform users when a transfer carries an element of risk, and even educate them on token protection. Crypto investors are encouraged to click here to learn more about secure crypto wallets and get their hands on one.
With cryptocurrency, there is an added element of complexity because crypto transactions do not rely on centralized bodies to function. As such, there is no bank that can trace the transaction to a specific person. Even in very high-profile cases of crypto exchanges being hacked and funds being stolen, it has taken months and even years for the funds to be recovered.
These sorts of scams especially target older people and those with less education about the inner workings of crypto. But to combat this, the Sheriff's Office has put out some guidelines that residents can refer to.
"Let me be clear: no member of the Bucks County Sheriff's Office will ever call you demanding money or threatening arrest over the phone," Sheriff Fred Harran Said, advising residents to hang up if they receive such a call and contact the share its office directly. He also noted that it is not possible to pay a member of law enforcement directly to resolve a warrant or fine. If any resident has already fallen prey to these sorts of scams, they are advised to contact the police department immediately.
Given that cryptocurrency is only going to become more valuable, there is a chance that scammers will continue to target individuals. But with proper education, the use of legitimate crypto wallets, and collaboration with law enforcement, this issue can be combated.
