Beware of Bitcoin scams

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake police are warning residents about a sharp rise in scams involving Bitcoin machines, after three people were targeted in the past week alone.

Capt. Jeff Sursely said scammers are increasingly directing victims to local Bitcoin kiosks, machines that function like ATMs, and convincing them to deposit money under the guise of paying fines, fees or urgent debts.

“Scammers are always finding new ways to victimize our citizens,” Sursely said. “There isn’t a single entity that will call you on the phone and tell you to send Bitcoin that’s legitimate.”

Sursely said the department is concerned because once money is deposited into a Bitcoin machine, it cannot be recovered.

“It is 100% untraceable,” he said. “Once the transaction is done, it’s absolutely untraceable, and most of the money is probably going offshore.”

The scams often involve callers pretending to be law enforcement, government agencies or utility companies. Some victims have been told they owe fines or face arrest unless they immediately pay through Bitcoin or prepaid gift cards.

“Any phone call telling you (that) you owe them money and to pay through Bitcoin or any kind of prepaid cards is a scam,” Sursely said.

Police say older adults are particularly vulnerable because they may be less familiar with cryptocurrency or high‑pressure scam tactics. Sursely urged anyone who receives a suspicious call to verify it before acting.

Residents can contact the Moses Lake Police Department’s non‑emergency line, but Sursely also recommended filing a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, known as IC3, which tracks national scam patterns.

“The way to get it into the larger database for the United States is to do the complaint form on IC3,” he said.

With cases rising, Sursely said the department is trying to get the word out quickly.

“No matter what, nobody calling you will ever have you do Bitcoin,” he said.