The Williston Police Department is warning citizens of fraudulent schemes involving Cryptocurrency ATMs and QR codes. Local and surrounding agencies have seen an increase in these types of scams.

            As the number of Cryptocurrency ATMs are becoming available in and around the Williston area, the Williston Police Department wants to remind residents to not fall victim to any scams related to depositing money into Cryptocurrency ATMs at the request of unknown individuals or individuals posing as your financial institution.

            The Williston Police Department has become aware of an internet scam involving a computer virus popup.

            A citizen received a pop-up on their home computer in reference to a virus detection warning that their computer was being hacked. They were directed to contact technical support at a provided phone number. The citizen then made contact with “technical support” and was advised that they needed to contact their financial institution at another provided phone number in which the scammer posed as a representative from their local financial institution who suggested that they remove their money from the bank and transfer their money into Bitcoin. The scammer provided the citizen with a QR Code to use at a local Cryptocurrency ATM and advised that their money would then be “safe.”

            The FBI Internet Crimes Complaint Center issued Alert Number 1-110421-PSA on Nov. 4, 2021, at https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2021/PSA211104 regarding Fraudulent Schemes Leveraging Cryptocurrency ATMs and QR Codes to Facilitate Payment.

            For more information regarding these scams go to https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety-or file an internet crime https://wwwi3gov/

Dennis Strow

Chief of Police

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City of Williston Police Department News Release Posted February 21, 2022