Two Massachusetts women recently lost a combined $6,700 to a “missed jury duty” phone scam that utilized Bitcoin ATMs, Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick McDermott said.

According to the sheriff, there’s been an increase in calls from scammers who claim to work for local law enforcement and demand money from residents who have supposedly missed jury duty. They threaten to arrest those who don’t agree to pay.

“The Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office never makes calls like this, and neither do local police departments,” McDermott said in a statement Wednesday. “Just hang up on anyone who is demanding money and acting like they are from our office, or another law enforcement agency, threatening you with arrest or detainment for things like ‘missed jury duty’ or an ‘outstanding warrant.’”

Scammers used Bitcoin ATMs

Both of the victims came to the sheriff’s office after sending money to the scammers. One was a woman from Sharon who paid $5,250 via a Bitcoin kiosk.

“She told our officer she was there to clear up an issue about missing jury duty after transferring the money as demanded,” the sheriff said. 

The woman said she saw a sign on the Bitcoin machine warning about scams, but the person on the phone told her should would be detained for 10-12 days if she didn’t pay.

Just 90 minutes later, the sheriff said a woman from Dedham came into the office to report that she paid a $1,450 “bond” through a Roslindale Bitcoin kiosk. The scammer reportedly sent her a “fraudulent court document to back up his claims,” the sheriff said, and threatened that she’d be arrested and detained for 72 hours unless she paid immediately.  

Scam warnings

The city of Gloucester recently banned Bitcoin ATMs, saying they’re concerned the machines could be used by scammers to prey on elderly victims. And in Waltham this summer, a police officer stopped an elderly man from sending $12,000 to scammers via a Bitcoin machine. 

In August, the Federal Trade Commission warned that scammers pretending to be police are calling up Americans and directing them to fake websites to pay a fine for missing jury duty. 

“It might ask you to pay up to $10,000 in fines on the site, or send you to a “government kiosk” (no such thing) to pay by cryptocurrency,” the FTC said. “But every bit of this is a scam.”

Republican Sen. Ryan Fattman shut down the Senate’s session after just a few minutes Monday morning, saying he hoped to “send a message” about the Healey administration pointedly blaming President Donald Trump for a lapse in SNAP benefits in official state communications.

With SNAP benefits at risk of lapsing lapsing for about 1.1 million Bay Staters starting Saturday as a result of the federal government shutdown, the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance website says that “President Trump is currently choosing to not issue November SNAP benefits that help you and many families put food on the table,” and the same language went out in emails and text messages to SNAP recipients.

“People need to be adults and act as such,” Fattman told NBC10 Boston. “The immaturity, the political gamesmanship, it all has to stop.”

Senator Fattman halted the Senate’s Monday session by doubting the presence of a quorum in protest of the politicization of this issue.

Fattman told the State House News Service that he has been trying to help constituents access SNAP benefits and started seeing the department’s messaging over the weekend as state-funded emails and text messages started going out.

“We’ve seen the federal government play this political game using taxpayer resources to say crazy messages and now Massachusetts is doing it under the Healey Administration,” Fattman said. “I felt that was wrong. I wanted to send a loud message that this needs to end.”

Gov. Maura Healey said that President Donald Trump has the power to distribute federal dollars that serve as a lifeline for many residents, but that Massachusetts does not have the money to cover the benefits if they are lost.

Fattman brought about an early end to Monday’s Senate session by doubting the presence of a quorum. Because a quorum of senators was not on hand and could not be rallied in about 10 minutes, the branch adjourned until Thursday. Sen. Sal DiDomenico of Everett was presiding over Monday’s session and Millbury Sen. Michael Moore arrived in the chamber about 10 minutes after Fattman’s motion.

Republicans and Democrats in Washington have been unable to agree on bills to fund government operations for the last four weeks and leaders of the two major parties have blamed each other for the shutdown.

Healey on Monday reiterated her stance about Trump’s role in the SNAP funding sitaution, and she wasn’t alone among Democratic politicians.

“They’re trying to make their resources stretch when Republicans are cutting food assistance,” Congresswoman Lori Trahan said.

A woman in Massachusetts is worried for her family in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa could bring catastrophic flooding to the island. 

Hurricane Melissa is currently a Category 4 hurricane, but could strengthen to a Category 5 before it hits Jamaica and Haiti in the coming days. The storm could bring up to 30 inches of rain to the island and cause damage to infrastructure.

“I am really concerned about mud slides,” Framingham resident and real-estate agent JoAnn Frye said.  

Frye owns an Airbnb in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, at Pyramid Point. She said that she has already lost power to her outdoor video cameras and that her home manager moved everything inside in anticipation of the storm. 

“I’m very nervous. I’ve been watching this WhatsApp group because that’s how we communicate in the community,” Frye said.  

Residents in Jamaica prepare for Hurricane Melissa

Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, urged residents to take the storm very seriously.

“We’ve been prepared for a couple of days now. We have gas generators. We have extra water in the rooms, and then we have some larger tanks of water prepared for that, just in case power goes out. We have some solar lights,” said Frye’s cousin, Mark Walker, who lives on the island.

He plans on hunkering down with his family for the next few days. 

“It’s one of those scenarios where it’s not just us, it’s everyone else, but we have a pretty good group of neighbors and friends that are close by, kind of looking out for each other,” Walker said.

Joanne says she’s glad she’s not there, but is praying for her people in Jamaica.  

“I’m still scared for the people I know and love there. I’m scared for the community,” Frye said.

She said that she plans to fly down once the storm passes to check on her loved ones and her home. 

For more information on Hurricane Melissa and to see its potential path, click here.