MADISON, Wis. — Dane County Sheriff’s Office detectives were able to return over $4,000 in cryptocurrency to a scam victim this week, a spokesperson said Thursday.
Detectives worked with the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation on the case.
According to the sheriff’s office spokesperson, the victim had clicked on a link in what they thought was a legitimate website to pay for a streaming service. The link was actually a scam, and the person’s bank account was compromised. Overseas scammers were able to access the person’s personal information and cellphone, and used their account to transfer out thousands of dollars using cryptocurrency.
The sheriff’s office was able to claw back some of the lost funds, however a sheriff’s office spokesperson said this is extremely rare. This was a first for the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and one of only 10 successful takebacks in Wisconsin.
“We understand how devastating these scams can be—not just financially, but emotionally,” said Sheriff Kalvin Barrett. “This case shows that even in the evolving world of cybercrime, we are adapting and working hard to recover what’s been lost and hold scammers accountable.”
Dane County residents are reminded to use caution when met with unsolicited calls or emails demanding money. Caution should also be used when clicking on “sponsored” links after using a search engine, which could lead to scam sites.
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