Apopka Residents Fall Victim to Cryptocurrency Scams

Apopka residents are falling victim to cryptocurrency scams that can result in significant financial losses.

The Apopka Police Department has received five reports involving Bitcoin or cryptocurrency during the first 26 days of August, a number higher than usual for the city. These cases involve scammers who create a sense of urgency and pressure victims into sending money using cryptocurrency.

The specific story can change, but the objective is often the same: to create enough fear or urgency that the victim sends money without questioning what's happening. Scammers may pretend to represent banks or convince people their computers have been compromised.

In one recent case, a victim was told their computer had been connected to an investigation involving child sexual abuse material and needed to send $10,000 to Microsoft via Bitcoin. Once the transaction is completed, tracing where the cryptocurrency went and identifying the person controlling the receiving wallet can be extremely difficult.