比特幣ATM騙局針對西湖居民，耗資數千美元

恐慌片段。他們堅持解決問題的唯一方法是撤回資金並將其存入比特幣ATM中。

In the quiet suburb of Westlake, Ohio, a wave of panic-inducing scams has left residents fearing for their finances and feeling helpless against the cunning of scammers.

在俄亥俄州韋斯特萊克的安靜郊區，一波引起恐慌的騙局使居民擔心自己的財務狀況，對騙子的狡猾感到無助。

The scams varied, but they all had a common thread: they threatened the victims with legal or financial repercussions if they didn't cooperate immediately. To resolve the fictitious issues, the scammers instructed the victims to withdraw large sums of money and deposit them into Bitcoin ATMs.

這些騙局各不相同，但它們都有一個共同的話題：如果他們不立即合作，他們會威脅受害者，以法律或財務影響。為了解決虛構的問題，詐騙者指示受害者撤回大量資金並將其存入比特幣ATM。

The scams were so convincing that several victims fell prey to the scammers' schemes, losing thousands of dollars in the process. However, some observant individuals intervened to save the victims from losing their life savings.

這些騙局是如此令人信服，以至於幾名受害者陷入了騙子計劃，在此過程中損失了數千美元。但是，一些觀察的人干預以挽救受害者免於儲蓄。

Bank Manager Noticed Warning Signs and Called Police

銀行經理注意到警告標誌，並打電話給警察

At a Chase Bank on Detroit Road in Westlake, a couple approached a bank manager to withdraw $17,000 in cash. They were visibly stressed and claimed they needed to pay off a warrant from the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office.

在韋斯特萊克底特律路的一家大通銀行，一對夫婦接近一名銀行經理，撤回了17,000美元的現金。他們明顯壓力很大，並聲稱他們需要從庫亞霍加縣警長辦公室還清逮捕令。

But something felt off to the manager. The couple wasn't known for withdrawing large sums of money, and the bank manager had recently attended a presentation by the Westlake Police Department about common scams in the area.

但是經理感到有些感覺。這對夫婦並不以撤回大量資金而聞名，銀行經理最近參加了韋斯特萊克警察局的演講，內容涉及該地區的常見騙局。

Thinking fast, the manager decided to ask the couple a few questions about the warrant. As she suspected, the story quickly fell apart, and the couple realized they were about to be scammed. Instead of letting them leave with the cash, the manager called the police.

快速思考時，經理決定向這對夫婦詢問有關逮捕令的幾個問題。正如她所懷疑的那樣，這個故事很快就崩潰了，這對夫婦意識到他們即將被騙。經理沒有讓他們帶現金離開，而是打電話給警察。

"The bank manager noticed warning signs and took swift action to prevent a potential scam from unfolding before her very eyes," said Westlake Police Captain Jerry Vogel in a statement. "Her attentiveness and willingness to intervene directly contributed to saving this couple from a major financial setback."

韋斯特萊克警察局長傑里·沃格爾（Jerry Vogel）在一份聲明中說：“銀行經理注意到了警告標誌，並採取了迅速採取的行動，以防止潛在的騙局在她眼前展開。” “她的注意力和乾預的意願直接有助於拯救這對夫婦擺脫重大的財務挫折。”

The police arrived and confirmed that the warrant was a fabrication. They advised the couple not to proceed with contacting any Bitcoin ATMs or completing the requested transactions.

警察到達並確認逮捕令是捏造的。他們建議這對夫婦不要與任何比特幣ATM聯繫或完成所請求的交易。

"We want to express our gratitude to the Chase Bank manager for her quick thinking and decisive action," said Vogel. "Her actions serve as a reminder that awareness and vigilance are crucial in preventing these types of scams."

沃格爾說：“我們要感謝Chase銀行經理的快速思考和決定性的行動。” “她的舉動提醒人們意識和警惕對於防止這些類型的騙局至關重要。”

Fake Microsoft Support Call Cost Woman $20,000

假的微軟支持電話費用$ 20,000

In another case, a Westlake woman thought she was calling Microsoft support after her computer crashed and she searched for a customer service number on Google. However, the number she found belonged to scammers who had manipulated search results to make their fake support line appear legitimate.

在另一種情況下，一位Westlake女人認為她的計算機崩潰後正在給Microsoft提供支持，她在Google上搜索了客戶服務號碼。但是，她發現的數字屬於騙子，他們操縱搜索結果以使他們的假支持線顯得合理。

The scammer told her that her computer was infected with viruses linked to illegal activity in China and that the FBI was investigating her. He threatened her with legal action and claimed her bank account was at risk. The only way to protect her money was to withdraw it and purchase Bitcoin to transfer to a safe account.

騙子告訴她，她的計算機感染了與中國非法活動有關的病毒，聯邦調查局正在調查她。他以法律訴訟威脅她，並聲稱她的銀行帳戶處於危險之中。保護她的錢的唯一方法是撤回併購買比特幣以轉移到安全帳戶。

Fearing legal trouble, the woman was instructed to withdraw $40,000 from her bank and purchase Bitcoin at a nearby gas station. She managed to withdraw $20,000 in cash from her bank but had difficulties completing the Bitcoin purchase at a Mobil gas station in the afternoon.

由於擔心法律麻煩，該婦女被指示從她的銀行撤回40,000美元，並在附近的加油站購買比特幣。她設法從銀行撤回了20,000美元的現金，但在下午在Mobil加油站完成了比特幣購買的困難。

As she fumbled with the Bitcoin ATM, a store clerk noticed her distress and intervened, sensing that something wasn't right. The clerk tried to warn the woman about the scam but was unsuccessful.

當她摸索比特幣ATM時，一家商店店員注意到了她的苦難並干預了，感覺到有些不對勁。店員試圖警告該女子有關騙局的知識，但沒有成功。

By the time she realized it was a scam, she had already lost half of her savings.

當她意識到這是一個騙局時，她已經損失了一半的積蓄。

Social Security Scam Tricks Another Victim Out of $5,500

社會保障騙局欺騙了5,500美元的另一個受害者

In yet another case, a Westlake resident received a call from someone pretending to be from the Social Security Administration. The scammer claimed that the victim's identity had been stolen and that several fraudulent accounts were opened in their name.

在另一個案例中，西湖居民接到了一個假裝來自社會保障局的人的電話。騙子聲稱受害人的身份被盜，並以其名義開設了一些欺詐性帳戶。

To protect their money, the scammer instructed them to withdraw it and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM at Sam’s Convenient Store on Hilliard Boulevard.

為了保護他們的錢，騙子指示他們將其撤回並將其存放到Hilliard Boulevard的便利商店中的比特幣ATM中。

Fearing for their finances, the victim cooperated and deposited $5,500 in cash into a Bitcoin machine at the store. However, before they were fully aware of what had happened, the funds were stolen by the scammer.

由於擔心自己的財務狀況，受害者將現金合作並存入了5500美元的現金中，並在商店的一台比特幣機器中。但是，在他們完全意識到發生了什麼事之前，這些資金被騙子偷走了。

The shop owner was later informed about the theft and decided to dismantle the Bitcoin ATM in the ensuing month in a bid to preclude future scams.

商店老闆後來被告知盜竊案，並決定在隨後的一個月中拆除比特幣ATM，以阻止未來的騙局。

How to Protect Yourself from Bitcoin ATM and Gift Card Scams

如何保護自己免受比特幣ATM和禮品卡騙局

Sadly, scammers are always coming up with new ways to trick people out of their money. But there are some things you can do to protect yourself:

可悲的是，騙子總是想出新的方法來欺騙人們的錢。但是，您可以做一些事情來保護自己：

If you receive a suspicious call, don't panic. Hang up and contact the company or organization directly to verify the message.

如果您收到可疑的電話，請不要驚慌。掛斷並直接聯繫公司或組織以驗證消息。

Don't invest in Bitcoin ATMs or buy gift cards for any payment. If it doesn't feel right, it likely isn't.

不要投資比特幣ATM或購買禮品卡以進行任何付款。如果感覺不正確，則可能不是。

Be alert to the possibility of scams, especially if you are being pressured to make a quick financial decision or threatened with legal action.

警惕騙局的可能性，尤其是如果您被迫做出快速財務決定或受到法律訴訟的威脅時。

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a scam, report it to your local police department immediately. Together, we can put a stop to these scams and safeguard our community.

如果您或您認識的人是騙局的受害者，請立即將其報告給您的當地警察局。我們可以一起停止這些騙局並保護我們的社區。