(Fort Worth, TX) – Warning: Don’t be fooled by the latest scam targeting men in Tarrant County.
Here’s how it works: A man claiming to be an investigator with the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorneys Office calls his target. The scammer tells his target – which so far have been older men – that he committed a crime when he contacted massage or sex-related websites. The alleged crimes cited involved illegal sexual conduct.
If the target doesn’t pay the fine, the scammer says he will be prosecuted. The fines are to be paid in increments to a bitcoin machine or kiosk at a location designated by the scammer. The call appears to come from 817-884-1400, which is the general telephone number to the CDA.
Fact: This is a scam. Senior citizens in Tarrant County have been tricked into paying fines that have totaled around $300,000.
Fact: The CDA’s office never asks people to go to bitcoin machines to pay fines. Any fine ever required by a court will be paid to the court. The scammer spoofed the call, making it appear he was calling from the CDA’s Office. He falsely identified himself by name as an investigator.
“No one from my office will ever contact anyone and tell them to pay fines to bitcoin machines,” Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Sharen Wilson said. “If you are contacted, fight back – report the crime to police.
“Don’t be the next victim.”
This is one of the latest cryptocurrency crimes. Scammers want people to pay by cryptocurrency because there’s almost no way for victims to get that money back.
If you have been impacted by this scam, report this crime to the police department in the city where it occurred. If you believe you may be getting scammed, call the CDA office at 817-884-1400 and ask for the investigator who called you.