Washtenaw County Sheriff didn’t ask you for bitcoin

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a scam phone call.

They posted on social media a reminder that no government agency will ever ask a resident to pay for a fine or ticket with cryptocurrency or a gift card. There will always be the option to pay with cash in person.

Law enforcement will never call someone and demand payment.

Anyone who is contacted by someone posing as a government agency that tries to get them to pay in cryptocurrency or a gift card is urged to contact the actual agency directly.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be law enforcement, don‘t give in to pressure to take action, don’t engage in conversation and do not give any personal or financial information.

Michigan State Police made a similar warning to residents. Police in Northville Township also reported such a scam recently after a resident reportedly was scammed out of roughly $300,000.

More than $5.6 billion was lost nationally due to cryptocurrency scams last year, a significant increase from 2022 and 2021. According to the FBI, Michiganders lost $79,894,360 in cryptocurrency scams in 2023.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has released several warnings and tips about similar phone scams that can be read here. More information on avoiding and reporting scams can be found on the Federal Trade Commission website.

Consumer complaints can be filed online on the Attorney General’s website.

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