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Detective outlines surge in fraud, cryptocurrency kiosks and prevention tips for Alamance residents
Summary
Detective Weager told commissioners the sheriff’s office logged about 430 fraud cases over the last 20 months with an average local loss of $33,000 per victim and cumulative losses near $6.3 million; he urged residents not to respond to unknown calls and described common crypto-kiosk scams.
Detective Weager of the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office described a marked increase in fraud cases and the investigative challenges posed by cryptocurrency transactions. He said roughly 430 frauds were assigned to detectives over about 20 months and that "the average loss for the Alamance County for 1 Alamance County citizen in those 430 cases is $33,000," producing cumulative losses in the millions. The detective explained investigators rely on search warrants and cooperation from exchanges to trace crypto transactions and that cold wallets and foreign exchanges can prevent timely identification of suspects.
Weager described common tactics — including warrant scams and instructions to pay via crypto kiosks at gas stations — and urged residents not to answer unknown phone calls and never to pay anyone over the phone with gift cards or crypto. He said recent state legislation will limit some kiosk functions but that those changes are new and the local effect remains to be seen. The sheriff’s office said it conducts community presentations, shares social-media alerts and works with stores to train clerks to refuse suspicious gift-card purchases in an effort to reduce victimization.
