Angelina County Scammers Use Bitcoin Kiosks to Steal Thousands
Angelina County Sheriff Tom Selman is warning residents about phone scams that are targeting them, specifically through calls from people posing as sheriff's department employees.
The scammers use spoofing technology to make the sheriff's office's official telephone number appear on the recipient's caller ID and threaten victims with arrest for failing to appear for jury duty or court. They pressure victims to pay money to avoid arrest, often using deputies' real names that are public information.
Selman said one person recently lost $35,000 in cash at a local Bitcoin kiosk after being scammed by these callers. The scammers stay on the phone with victims while they travel to the kiosk and while they put money into the machine, keeping them engaged with pressure tactics.
Once the money is entered into a Bitcoin machine, it can be transferred electronically overseas within a day. Selman said many of the scammers call from out of state and use technology to hide their identities, making the cases difficult to investigate. The trail usually leads out of state or offshore, making enforcement and recovery difficult.
The sheriff's office has posted information on its Facebook page and sent out a Genesis alert to broadcast information to the public about these scams. Selman said people should not believe anyone who calls them from law enforcement demanding money to avoid arrest.