On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, the Patch reported that cryptocurrency scams have resulted in significant losses for numerous victims in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, with some individuals losing upwards of $23,000.
Police stated that the fraudulent schemes have been alarmingly successful in the area. Victims have reportedly lost sums ranging from $1,300 to over $23,000.
The scammers employ a tactic of calling potential victims from fake phone numbers that impersonate the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. During these calls, perpetrators, sometimes identifying themselves as “Lieutenant McDonald” or using similar false names, inform victims that they owe money for missing jury duty.
The scammers then instruct the victims to deposit funds into a cryptocurrency machine while remaining on the phone.
District Attorney Kevin Steele issued a statement emphasizing that no legitimate law enforcement agency, sheriff’s office, or court would ever demand payment through a Bitcoin or cryptocurrency ATM.
Steele further clarified that warrants for failure to appear in court, including for jury duty, are handled in a courtroom before a judge, and no money is involved in such processes.
He advised anyone receiving such calls to disregard the demands and refrain from depositing any money into a Bitcoin ATM.
Source: Patch
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