The Omaha Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff's Office are working together to issue a warning to the public after a spike in cryptocurrency scams across the metro. Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson said last week that one couple was defrauded out of $38,000 and another out of $6,000. “They will claim they are the right people,” Hanson said. Ta. “They trick people into depositing cash into crypto ATMs, but that cash disappears overseas without their knowledge and cannot be recovered.” Crypto ATM machines are part of an insidious scam, Hanson said. He said it happens often. It's costing vulnerable people and retirees in ways they may never recover from,” Hanson said. “It could destroy their lives. It could force them out of their homes.” Currently, the sheriff's office is working with police departments and the city to combat the number of people affected. “City Council member and former prosecutor Amy Melton said she was pleased with the city ordinance that would require businesses in Omaha that set up these cryptocurrency kiosks on their premises to by law post warning placards on their premises. sponsored by the device,” Hanson said. These placards remind people that law enforcement and other government agencies will never solicit money through cryptocurrency exchanges, and help businesses be aware of the potential dangers. . “I don't think they were properly educated when they got the machine about the pitfalls and some of the things that could happen and what to look out for,” said Ron Sverklubbe, co-owner of Super Groovy in Benson. he said. Hanson said there are hundreds of crypto ATMs in the subway, and some companies are already working to remove them due to potential fraud. Sverklubbe said he was strongly considering dismissing him. “It really made me think because I never thought something like that would happen,” Sverklubbe said. Hanson said he hopes other businesses decide to remove their machines completely, but for now, if a business has machines installed, they will receive a warning placard from the DCSO office or OPD headquarters. It said it must be displayed on machines by December 1st. 10. Failure to do so will result in a $500 fine, Hanson said. Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
Omaha, Nebraska —
The Omaha Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff's Office are working together to issue a warning to the public after a spike in cryptocurrency scams across the metro.
Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson said one couple was scammed out of $38,000 and another out of $6,000 last week.
“They're going to claim they're the right person,” Hanson said. “If you induce someone to deposit cash into a virtual currency ATM, that cash will disappear out of the country before you know it and cannot be recovered.”
Hanson said cryptocurrency ATM machines are often part of insidious scams.
“These scammers are victimizing vulnerable people and retirees in ways they may never recover from,” Hanson said. “It could destroy their lives. It could force them out of their homes.”
The Sheriff's Office is currently working with police departments and the city to reduce the number of people affected.
“City Council member and former prosecutor Amy Melton said she was pleased with the city ordinance that would require businesses in Omaha that set up these cryptocurrency kiosks on their premises to by law post warning placards on their premises. sponsored by the device,” Hanson said.
These placards remind people that law enforcement and other government agencies will never solicit money through cryptocurrency exchanges, and help businesses be aware of the potential dangers. .
“When we got the machine, we weren't properly educated about the pitfalls and some of the things that could happen and what to look out for,” said Ron Sverklubbe, co-owner of Super Groovy in Benson. I think so,” he said.
Hanson said there are hundreds of crypto ATMs in the subway, and some companies are already working to remove them due to potential fraud. Sverklubbe said he was strongly considering dismissing him.
“It really made me think because I never thought something like that would happen,” Sväklubbe said.
Hanson said he hopes other businesses decide to remove their machines completely, but for now, if a business has machines installed, they will receive a warning placard from the DCSO office or OPD headquarters. It said it must be displayed on machines by December 1st. 10. Failure to do so will result in a $500 fine, Hanson said.
Click here for the latest headlines on KETV NewsWatch 7
