They lost $17K in cryptocurrency scam. SLO County Sheriff’s Office helped recover part of it
The San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Department was able to recover part of a $17,000 cryptocurrency scam in Los Osos following a two-year investigation, the agency announced Thursday.
According to a news release from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, the department first received a report of a financial scam involving victims in Los Osos Sept. 12, 2022.
“The victims stated they were called by a man who said their family member had been arrested out of the area, so they needed to send money for bail and other expenses,” the release said. “The victims were then directed to several local cryptocurrency ATM machines where they deposited approximately $17,000 cash and sent photographs of the receipts to the scammer.”
Using those receipts, the person was able to take control of the funds and exchange them for the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, according to the release.
Detectives from the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit investigated the case and traced the cryptocurrency exchange during the course of a two-year investigation, according to the release.
On Tuesday, detectives in cooperation with the cryptocurrency exchange that was used to make the transaction, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office and the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court were able make a partial recovery returning approximately $4,700 to the victims, according to the release.
The Sheriff’s Office will continue investigating cryptocurrency-related crimes, and will raise awareness of scams of this type, according to the release.
“If you receive something suspicious like a pop up on your computer saying you have been hacked or a phone call demanding money, contact the Sheriff’s Office to speak with law enforcement so we can hopefully prevent any loss,” the release read. “Please inform your family and friends about this scam so they can be prepared in the event this happens to them.”
This story was originally published September 12, 2024 at 5:43 PM.
