Bitcoin
Raleigh woman warns others after Bitcoin ATM scam
RALEIGH, North Carolina — A Raleigh woman says she was caught up in a complicated and detailed scam that used fear and trust to target her.
Looking back, Pauline Miller said she can’t believe what she did.
Miller said she enjoys cooking and was on a recipe website she visited many times.
“I was scrolling down and all of a sudden my computer froze,” she said.
Miller said his screen went black. In big, bold letters, there was a message that his identity had been compromised. Then, the message started blaring loudly over his speakers.
“Over and over again,” Miller said. “So obviously I was frozen in fear and didn’t know what to do.”
Miller called the number listed in the message. She didn’t realize she had reached the scammers.
“The verbal messaging stopped, so there was a point of relief, and it’s also a point where they start to build trust,” she said.
For two hours, this cycle of fear and trust continued. The scammers convinced Miller that her bank account was at risk and that she needed to withdraw $15,000 before it was lost on the dark web.
Miller described what happened when he went to the bank.
“Nobody at the bank questioned [the withdrawal],” she said. “The only comment I got from the bank was, ‘I hope you’re doing something fun with this.’”
The scammers told Miller they would help keep his money safe.
“You’re in the movies right now, carrying $15,000 in $100 bills,” she said. “I’ve never taken out that kind of money, ever.”
Miller said the scammers told her to deposit the money into a Bitcoin ATM and that they would help her set up a digital wallet.
“I start putting money into it, and it’s like, there again, you kind of look around, and it’s like, is anyone seeing this?” she said. “Like, it was horrible.”
After Miller deposited the money, there was only one more thing Miller was told she needed to do: submit a photo of her Bitcoin ATM receipt and her driver’s license.
Ultimately, Miller said his instincts kicked in.
“I reported it to the Raleigh police,” Miller said.
Detective Chris Gay of the Raleigh Police Department said there have been 31 similar cases involving Bitcoin since September 2023.
“Scammers are good at what they do,” Gay said.
Gay said the number of Bitcoin ATM scams has made this a priority for the department. He warns people that if they hand over cash, there is a very short window to get it back. Gay explained what to do if that happens.
“Call the police department immediately because they have limited time, and that’s a big factor in us recovering these funds,” Gay said.
Raleigh police took Miller’s money from that machine and returned it to her. Miller said it was unusual, but now she’s using her story to warn others.
“If someone tells you that your identity has been compromised, whether it has or not, 10 minutes doesn’t mean anything,” Miller said. “So hang up the phone, call your friend, call the police, call someone and see if, in fact, it’s true or not.”
Miller said she was grateful for the help from Raleigh police.
[5:46 PM] Strong, Pritchard
“The detective I worked with was incredible,” Miller said. “He came to my house to get all the receipts, went to that Bitcoin machine, put tape on it, and subsequently managed to take my money.
“He was still at that machine, and he managed to unlock it and physically brought back all my money.”
Authorities remind people that if they receive a random email or text message, do not click on the links or call the numbers provided.