What to know:
- A victim was tricked by a fake security alert and impersonators posing as Apple and bank officials.
- He lost $37,000 after being pressured to deposit cash into a Bitcoin ATM before realizing it was a scam.
A Plymouth man has shared how he lost $37,000 in a crypto scam after trusting a fake security alert.
The incident started when he recieved a warning on his laptop screen, claiming his device had been hacked. The message urged him to call a number, which later led him into a carefully planned scam involving fake representatives.
The victim, Steven Cooke said the call started with a woman who claimed to be from Apple Security. She told him that his identity had been stolen and that some illegal activity was linked to his account, which caused him to panic.
During the call, the scammers tried to gain his trust by mentioning some details of his credit cards. They also convinced him that his phone was compromised and switched him to what they called a “secure line.”
A second caller later joined, and pretended to be from Chase Bank. He told Cooke that money had already been taken from his account and that there was a way to recover it if he acted quickly.
How the Crypto Scam Worked
Cooke was instructed to withdraw $37,000 from his bank account. He was then told to deposit the cash into a Bitcoin ATM, with the promise that it would secure and recover his funds. Even though he had doubts, he stayed on the call and followed the instructions. The scammers continued to pressure him and even pushed him to withdraw more money from another bank.
Also Read: Cryptocurrency Scam Hits Retired Hong Kong Woman, Causing 6.6 Million Yuan Loss
At one point, while sitting in his car, he began to question the situation and realized something was wrong. He decided not to send any more money.After returning home, Cooke contacted the real Chase Bank using an official number. That was when he confirmed the entire situation was a scam.
When he called the crypto scammers back, they answered using a different name, which confirmed his suspicion. He then ended all communication with them.
Police say this type of crypto scam is common and often targets people by creating fear and urgency. They warn that scammers rely on emotional pressure to make victims act quickly without thinking. Authorities advise people to ignore pop-up warnings and never call numbers shown on such alerts. Instead, they should look up official contact details in order to prevent falling victims to crypto scam.
Also Read: Fake Ledger App on Apple Store Wipes Out 5.92 Bitcoin Retirement Savings
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