WALLINGFORD, CT — Wallingford police recently helped a resident recover more than $19,000 in Bitcoin that was stolen in a cryptocurrency fraud scheme, according to Sgt. Stephen Jaques.
Jaques said that while an arrest wasn’t made in the investigation, the incident can serve as a “cautionary tale” for residents.
A resident notified police on Jan. 1 that they were coerced into sending more than $15,000 worth of Bitcoin to a scammer who posed as a computer service representative.
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“The victim got a pop-up notification on their computer saying that their device was compromised, and the technician would need money to fix the issue,” Jaques wrote in a news release. “The technician told the victim to send the funds via Bitcoin. The victim sent the funds at a local Bitcoin kiosk.
“Soon after, the victim realized they were scammed and they came into Wallingford Police Headquarters to report it. Detectives worked with the involved Bitcoin exchange and after a lengthy investigation, they located and retrieved the lost funds. No arrest was made because the funds were found in an out of country account.
“The Wallingford Police Department urges citizens to use caution when dealing with security breaches of their personal devices. You should never send money in any fashion, especially Bitcoin, to a service technician to diagnose and fix your problem. If something similar happens to you, and you feel uncertain, please seek guidance at your local police department.”
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