Crypto Scams Are on the Rise — Don’t Get Taken!

The Firestone Police Department wants to inform the community that we are still seeing an increase in crypto and online scams, and remind everyone to stay vigilant!

Scammers are becoming more creative and aggressive with cryptocurrency fraud, especially through Bitcoin ATMs, fake investment platforms, romance scams, job scams, and recovery scams. They pressure you to send crypto quickly, often telling you to deposit money at a Bitcoin ATM or transfer funds to “unlock” an account. These schemes are designed to appear real and urgent — but they’re NOT.

Know the red flags:

Calls or messages demanding payment right now via Bitcoin ATM.
Someone posing as law enforcement or a government official telling you to send crypto.
Offers to recover your lost crypto — that’s often another scam.
“Investment opportunities” with guaranteed returns and pressure to act fast.
Legitimate exchanges will never call you out of the blue asking for your login or account info, or urge you to send crypto.

If you think you’ve been targeted or scammed:

Stop all contact with the scammer immediately.
Report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov — even if you think the loss is small.
Keep screenshots, transaction IDs, wallet addresses, and phone numbers — these help investigators.
Don’t pay anyone claiming they can “recover” your crypto — government agencies never charge fees to investigate.
Contact your local law enforcement as well. If you are within Firestone, contact 720-652-4222 and ask to speak with an officer.

Spread the word and protect your friends and family — it could save them thousands.

Additional Resources:

Learn more from the FBI on Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/national-crimes-and-victim-resources/cryptocurrency-investment-fraud.
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is the central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime. It is run by the FBI, the lead federal agency for investigating crime: https://www.ic3.gov/.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has Identity Theft, Fraud, and Cyber Crimes Prevention tips online: https://cbi.colorado.gov/investigations/investigations/economic-crimes/identity-theft-fraud-and-cyber-crimes-unit-prevention.