Bitcoin scams cost Nanaimo residents $17K in a single day, Mounties warn

Two Nanaimo residents lost a combined $17,000 in bitcoin scams on Wednesday, prompting the RCMP to issue a warning to the public.

In one scam, a resident received a phone call from a man with a “strong South Asian accent” who identified himself as a police officer, according to a Friday news release from the Nanaimo RCMP.

“This person told the victim that the victim’s identity had been compromised and in order to protect his money, he needed to send a percentage of his assets to the suspect for safekeeping,” the release reads.

The suspect directed the victim to a bitcoin ATM in Woodgrove Centre, where he deposited $13,000, police said.

“Only after sending the money, did the victim realize that he may have been scammed,” Mounties said.

The second victim on Wednesday told police he received an email from “US Digital Cellular” saying he was eligible for a $849 refund.

When he called the phone number provided to get the money, a man told him to complete a questionnaire and once he submitted it, the alleged scammer told him there was an error and the company accidentally sent him $4,800.

The fraudster asked the victim to send the excess money back in bitcoin, which he did, police said.

“After sending the money the victim figured out that he had been scammed,” the release reads. “He also admitted to feeling ashamed but wanted to share his experience with others so they may not make the same mistakes he did.”

The Nanaimo RCMP are reminding the public to never open or respond to links from unfamiliar people or companies, and to automatically consider anyone asking for payments in bitcoin to be a scammer.

More information about cryptocurrency scams can be found on the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website.