Cryptocurrency scams hit local residents

Two residents of Franklin County and one from Hampshire County lost thousands of dollars to scammers who instructed them to send money through cryptocurrency kiosks in order to protect their identities or other false pretenses.

Law enforcement authorities are urging residents to be wary of callers claiming an urgent need for money to be sent for any reason. The details of the scams vary, but typically involve calls from a person claiming to be a law enforcement officer identified by name and badge number, both of which are fake, or a representative of a business. In the case of the three individuals from this region, one was defrauded of $14,000, another lost $9,000 and a third lost $9,800.

“Before last May, I hadn’t heard of any cryptocurrency scams involving kiosks inside convenience stores, and now I’m working with law enforcement on three separate investigations,” said First Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Steven Gagne. “Because these scammers so often target elderly residents, I urge families to talk to their elder loved ones about reaching out for help if they receive communications from anyone urgently asking for or demanding money.”

Residents are encouraged to contact their local police departments if they believe they have fallen prey to a scam of this sort.

In these schemes, victims are told their identities have been compromised, their money…