Targeting Older Adults: How One Woman Lost $41750 to a Bitcoin ATM Scam

In August 2024, a 73-year-old woman from Delhi Township saw a pop-up alert on her laptop.

A 73-year-old woman from Delhi Township, Ohio, recently encountered a common pop-up alert on her laptop—a message claiming her device had been hacked. But what happened next was the kind of elaborate scam that's becoming all too common, and it nearly saw the woman lose her entire life savings.

The woman, who prefers not to be identified, was browsing the web in August when she received a message from what she thought was Microsoft. The pop-up warned that her personal information had been compromised and to contact a specific number for assistance.

Thinking quickly, the woman dialed the number and spoke with a "tech support" agent who advised her to convert her savings into Bitcoin due to the urgency of the situation. The scammer, who had already used phishing tactics to gain the woman's trust, calmly guided her through the process.

Over the course of several transactions at a local Bitcoin ATM, the woman sent a total of $41,750 to the scammer’s wallet. However, by the time she realized the true scope of the scam, she thought it was too late.

But that's where this story takes a surprising turn.

The woman reported the incident to the Delhi Township Police Department, who immediately escalated the case to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). Their Electronic Financial Investigations Unit was quickly deployed to track the funds.

Working tirelessly over several days, the BCI team was able to rapidly map out the flow of funds through cryptocurrency exchanges, identify the transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain, and coordinate with legal authorities to freeze the remaining assets.

It was a race against time—Bitcoin is notoriously difficult to track once moved. But the BCI was faster.

Through diligent efforts in securing search warrants and engaging in court orders, BCI was able to recover $35,600 of the stolen funds, which were returned to the victim this week.

“This case illustrates the elaborate traps that crypto criminals use to scam their victims. Especially in today’s world, people should be aware of the different scams going on and how quickly they can happen,” said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. “Thankfully, because the victim notified authorities quickly and the Electronic Financial Investigations Unit at BCI was able to mobilize rapidly, most of the victim’s money was recovered.”

Indeed, quick action was key. Had the woman waited even a few days longer, the outcome could have been very different.

“I greatly appreciate BCI’s swift and effective assistance in this case,” added Delhi Township Police Chief Jeff Braun. “Their expertise in investigating electronic fraud and recovering stolen funds was invaluable. This kind of partnership strengthens our ability to protect and support our community.”

This case ends on a high note—but not all do. The incident is a stark reminder of how sophisticated crypto scams have become. Pop-ups, fake support numbers, and social engineering are just the beginning. And elderly citizens, often less tech-savvy, are frequent targets.

While the woman was lucky to recover most of her money, she still lost over $6,000—a painful reminder of how much is at stake.

The takeaway? Always question pop-ups. Never trust unknown numbers. And report fast. Thanks to cutting-edge tech, legal cooperation, and a determined team, justice was served—but only just in time. The line between loss and recovery in the crypto world is razor-thin. And sometimes, all it takes to cross it… is a single phone call.