US Marshals, FBI warn Floridians of scam demanding payment with bitcoin ATMs

ActionNewsJax.com News Staff
·2 min read

The U.S. Marshals Service, Middle District of Florida, has issued an alert to the public warning of phone scams.

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These “spoofers” are using government phone numbers and government names to demand payment via Bitcoin ATMs (machines that accept credit or debit cards to buy cryptocurrencies). These scammers have been claiming to be U.S. Marshals or other Federal officials.

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“During these calls, scammers are sometimes illegally using actual office phone numbers to fraudulently collect money or gain other Personal Identifiable Information (PII) from the victim,” a U.S. Marshals statement read. “The scammers claim to be actual employees of the U.S. Marshals Service and will sometimes even provide actual real names and/or badge numbers of current U.S. Marshals Officials that are found on public, government websites to further appear legitimate.”

Read: Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office notifies residents of scam warnings

The Marshals Service said that these scammers are threatening their victims with legal action if they don’t comply.

Some things to remember to prevent becoming a victim:

  • U.S. MARSHALS WILL NEVER ask for credit/debit card/gift card numbers, wire transfers, or bank routing numbers for any purpose.

  • NEVER divulge personal or financial information to unknown callers.

  • Report scam phone calls to your local FBI office and to the FTC.

  • You can remain anonymous when you report.

The U.S. Marshals Service said if you believe you were a victim of such a scam, you are encouraged to report the incident to your local FBI office and to the Federal Trade Commission.

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You can also report the incident through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

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