Lebanese Woman Falls Victim to Bitcoin Scam Posing as Police Officer
A woman from Lebanon, Katie Mast, fell victim to a crypto scam involving a fraudster posing as a police officer. The case is now being investigated by the Munich public prosecutor's office and the Lebanon police.
The scam began when Mast received a call from a man claiming to be a sergeant from the Lebanon police. He convinced her that she had federal fines for missed jury duty, a service she had never performed. Initially, the caller demanded $2,500 in Bitcoin to be deposited into a Bitcoin ATM. However, he later reduced the amount to $500.
Mast, panicked, rushed to a store while the call was on speaker. The caller even addressed her by her maiden name, which she hadn't used in 33 years, adding to her belief in the caller's legitimacy. The call lasted for hours before an alert passerby intervened. The Federal Trade Commission advises that no legitimate company or government agency would demand cryptocurrency payments.
The Bitcoin fraud case involving Katie Mast is under investigation by the Munich public prosecutor's office and the Lebanon police. Mast's experience serves as a reminder to be cautious of unsolicited calls demanding immediate crypto payments.
