RALEIGH, N.C. — A Raleigh woman says she was pulled into a complicated, detailed scam that used fear and trust to prey on 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’s visited many times.
“I was scrolling down, and suddenly, my computer locked up,” she said.
Miller said her screen went black. In big bold letters, there was a message that her identity was compromised. Then, the message started blaring through her speakers.
“Over and over and over,” 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 called the scammers.
“The verbal message stopped, so there was a point of relief, and it’s also a point where they start to create trust,” she said.
For two hours, that cycle of fear and trust continued. The scammers convinced Miller her bank account was at risk and she needed to pull out $15,000 before it was lost on the dark web.
Miller described what happened when she went to her bank.
“No one 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’d help keep her money safe.
“You’re in the movies at this point, carrying out $15,000 in $100 bills,” she said. “I’ve never taken out that kind of cash, never.”
Miller said the scammers told her to deposit the money in a Bitcoin ATM, and they’d help her set up a digital wallet.
“I start feeding the money into it, and it’s like, there again, you kind of look around, and it’s like, is anybody seeing this?” she said. “Like, it felt horrible.”
After Miller deposited the money, there was only one more thing Miller was told she had to do, send a photo of the receipt from the Bitcoin ATM and her driver’s license.
Finally, Miller said her gut instincts kicked in.
“I reported it to the Raleigh police,” Miller said.
Raleigh Police Department Detective Chris Gay said there have been 31 similar cases involving Bitcoin since September 2023.
“The scammers are good at what they do,” Gay said.
Gay said the number of Bitcoin ATM scam cases made it a priority for the department. He warns people that if they hand over money, there’s a very short time to get it back. Gay explained what to do if this happens.
“Call the police department immediately because they are time sensitive, and that plays a factor in us recovering those funds,” Gay said.
Raleigh police got Miller’s money out of that machine and returned it to her. Miller said it was unusual, but she’s now using her story to warn others.
“If somebody tells you your identity has been compromised, if it has or hasn’t, 10 minutes means nothing,” Miller said. “So, hang up the phone, call your friend, call the police, call somebody and see if, in fact, that is true or not.”
Miller said she was appreciative of Raleigh police’s help.
[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 over to that Bitcoin machine, had it taped up with crime tape, and subsequently, was able to get my money.
“Tt was still actually in that machine, and he was able to get it unlocked and physically brought back all my money.”
Authorities remind people that if they get a random email or text, don’t click the links or call the numbers provided.