06/02/2025
Beware of scams using Bitcoin ATMs
Chief Matthew Perkins reports that the Lakeville Police Department, in partnership with the Raynham Police Department, successfully intervened in an active scam on Thursday, preventing a resident from losing $20,000 to a scammer.
Thanks to concerned family, the quick investigative work of Lakeville Police Detective Robert Schiffer, and fast coordination with Raynham officers, the victim was stopped just moments before she deposited the cash into a Bitcoin ATM — while still on the phone with the scammer, who was giving her step-by-step instructions.
On Thursday, May 29, shortly before 2 p.m., the victim’s family visited the Lakeville Police Department, concerned that their relative — a 73-year-old Lakeville woman — was being scammed. The woman had withdrawn $20,000 in cash from her bank account and was not answering phone calls.
The investigation revealed that a scammer had contacted the woman and convinced her that her computer was infected with a virus. The scammer claimed that the only way to protect her money was to withdraw it and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM.
The scammer also instructed her not to answer any phone calls, including those from family members.
Detective Schiffer determined that the woman’s vehicle was likely headed toward Raynham and contacted the Raynham Police Department to be on the lookout.
Lakeville Police responded to Raynham as Raynham Police officers began checking local Bitcoin ATM locations, finding the vehicle at Coletti’s Market on North Main Street. Both Lakeville and Raynham Police intervened while she was still on the phone with the scammer, successfully preventing the transaction from being completed.
"This case is a powerful reminder of how sophisticated and manipulative these scams have become," said Chief Perkins. "Thanks to fast detective work, interagency cooperation — including the quick response from Raynham Police — and vigilant family, we were able to stop this in time. If not for those combined efforts, the victim could have lost a significant amount of money."
For the full press release, including scam prevention tips, click the link below.
https://lakevillepdnews.com/2025/05/29/lakeville-police-prevent-bitcoin-scam/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
