The Clive Police Department is warning residents about an intricate scam that recently duped someone out of almost $7,000. The victim was misled by someone claiming to be from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office about having an arrest warrant, and eventually persuaded into sending $6,600 via a Bitcoin ATM.
Investigation into this scam is still ongoing, however, police noted that it can be difficult to follow currency exchanges from cash to cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, once they are executed.
“Scammers are taking advantage of this technology to take advantage of innocent victims. Once the funds are moved, they become nearly untraceable, making it very hard to recover the money,” the post reads.
Police emphasized that law enforcement would never ask anyone to make a payment over the phone or with a Bitcoin ATM. In the event of such a call, it is recommended to take down the details and report it to police or the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
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