Lapeer County law enforcement were able to recover almost $25,000 in cash after an elderly man was defrauded via a Bitcoin scam in October.
The case began when the victim, an Elba Township man, received an email last month congratulating him for supposedly winning a large sum of Bitcoin. When the man called the number listed in the email, saying he hadn’t bought any of the online currency, the scammer convinced him that the man would have to return the money credited via the Bitcoin.
This led the man to withdraw $24,500 in cash from his bank, turning it over to the scammer in his home’s driveway. The victim’s daughter happened to arrive while the handoff was taking place, and, feeling something was amiss, she memorized the license plate number. Meanwhile, the victim’s bank manager reported her concerns about the large withdrawal to the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office.
Detective Sergeant Troy Covert headed up the investigation, and located the vehicle in Detroit. In coordination with Detroit Police, a search warrant was executed at the Detroit address, with the money and other evidence recovered.
The case is still under active investigation, with the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office urging residents to be wary of unsolicited phone calls and emails.
