Ohio Department of Public Safety warns of cryptocurrency scam targeting older adults

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOIO) – The Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Middle and the Ohio Division of Growing older shared a launch Friday warning Ohioans of a rising pattern of cryptocurrency scams concentrating on older adults.

Officers say through the course of drug-related investigations, the ONIC grew to become conscious of these kinds of monetary exploitations in opposition to older adults.

These scams are asking people to pay in cryptocurrency or by cryptocurrency ATMs, officers say.

The discharge says scammers are sometimes in fixed communication with their targets, and scammers can use efforts from romance to impersonation to get their goal to ship them cash.

The Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) has offered the next info to greatest keep away from cryptocurrency scams.

Cryptocurrency Rip-off Indicators:

No authentic enterprise goes to demand you ship cryptocurrency upfront of a purchase order or to guard your cash. If the person does, this may very well be an indicator of a rip-off.

If you happen to meet somebody on a courting website or app and so they wish to present you easy methods to put money into cryptocurrency or asks you to ship them cryptocurrency, this may very well be an indicator of a rip-off.

Prevention Suggestions:

Earlier than you put money into cryptocurrency, search on-line for the identify of the corporate or particular person and cryptocurrency identify and in addition embody phrases like “evaluate,” “rip-off,” or “criticism” to see what others are saying.

No authentic enterprise or authorities will ever electronic mail, textual content, or message you on social media to ask for cash, and they’re going to by no means demand that you simply purchase or pay with cryptocurrency.

By no means click on on a hyperlink from an surprising textual content, electronic mail, or social media message, even when it appears to return from an organization you recognize.

For native providers and assist for older adults and caregivers, name 1-866-243-5678 to be related to the world company on growing old serving your neighborhood.

If you happen to really feel you’ve been the goal of a rip-off, report it to the Ohio Legal professional Common’s Workplace. When you’ve got misplaced cash or really feel unsafe due to a rip-off, contact native regulation enforcement.

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