The Denver police department has issued a warning regarding a widespread scam involving cryptocurrency ATMs in Colorado. Scammers are contacting individuals, falsely alleging the existence of an outstanding warrant in their name. They demand a specific sum of money from the victim to resolve this fictitious warrant. Unlike traditional scam methods like wire transfers or gift card purchases, these fraudsters now prefer payment through cryptocurrency ATMs commonly found in supermarkets, liquor stores, or smoke shops.

In a recent case reported by the Denver Police Department, a victim was contacted by an individual posing as a police officer. The scammer coerced the victim into paying a significant amount for bail to avoid a supposed 72-hour jail term. The victim, directed to a nearby laundromat, used the cryptocurrency option on a self-service banking kiosk to transfer the alleged “bail” money. Despite sending the initial amount, the victim was falsely informed of its insufficiency and asked to send more money. The scammer falsely promised to refund the initial deposit via a cashier’s check, resulting in the victim losing nearly $14,000.

To prevent falling prey to such scams, the Denver police department has shared crucial tips for identifying and evading fraudulent activities. They stress that legitimate law enforcement agencies do not resolve warrants or bonds over the phone, as warrants can only be annulled through a legal court order. Moreover, law enforcement bodies never request payments through unconventional methods such as gift cards, wire transfers, ATM deposits, prepaid debit cards, or cryptocurrency transactions.

Individuals should promptly end calls instructing them to wire transfer funds, deposit money at an ATM or cryptocurrency kiosk, or purchase gift cards to cancel a warrant, as these are scams. Victims are urged to report such incidents to law enforcement authorities. In Denver, reports can be lodged by calling 720-913-2000 and pressing 2 or by submitting a complaint through the Colorado Attorney General’s Office website.

For individuals worried about potential warrants issued by the Denver police, they can verify by calling 720-337-0464.

The Colorado Attorney General’s Office and the FBI have highlighted various common scams impacting residents, including check scams, dating and romance scams, debt collection scams, IRS scams, phishing scams, Social Security scams, sweepstakes and lotteries, tech support scams, and government imposter scams. To bolster online scam security, the Federal Trade Commission provides a range of resources for public access.