The Green Bay Police Department building is seen Sept. 6, 2022. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Cryptocurrency scams are on the rise in Green Bay as police say nearly $200,000 has been reported stolen from residents so far this year.
Police say in most cases, scammers call or send an online pop-up message to victims, making claims that the victim needs to resolve some sort of crime, legal fee, fraud, hacking, identity theft, technical and/or package delivery issue. The scammers use the names of large corporations or impersonating a government official or agency for credibility.
Scammers then convince the victims to convert thousands of dollars in cash into cryptocurrency and transfer it at a crypto ATM.
As recently as Aug. 21, a man told Green Bay police he lost $37,700 by depositing cash into a Bitcoin ATM while following instructions from a network of scammers.
Since 2020, the Green Bay Police Department received 28 reported cases of this type of scam at the expense of $273,893.
2023
- 15 Cases = $195,200
2022
- 3 Cases = $34,577
2021
- 8 Cases = $35,216
2020
- 2 Cases = $8,900
“If there is one takeaway, remember that neither a legitimate company nor a government entity will require cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin as payment to resolve immediate debts. It’s also very important that you never grant permission for remote access to your computer, tablet or phone or share personal information such as a social security number if you’re unsure of who’s receiving it. When in doubt, hang up the phone or end the conversation,” said Captain Jeff Brester, Green Bay Police Department. “It is very difficult to track these scammers as they are often overseas. Therefore, it is rare to get the money back. If you feel someone was given unauthorized access to your banking information, contact your financial institution and local law enforcement as soon as possible.”
If you’re a Green Bay resident who has been a victim of a cyber scam, call Green Bay Police at (920) 448-3200 to report it. If you live elsewhere, call your local law enforcement agency for assistance.
If you have other information related to a cryptocurrency scam, you can also file a report with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crimes Complaint Center.
Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (920) 432-STOP (7867). You may also submit a tip online at 432stop.com, or utilize the “P3 Tips” app.
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