A warning has been issued after a Norfolk resident lost £18,000 after being targeted by an online scam.
The householder, who has not been identified, was plagued by persistent phone calls demanding money after responding to an article on Facebook about people who had made money quickly through investing in Bitcoin.
After clicking on the link, they received calls from someone who seemed plausible and was persuaded to initially invest £250.
They subsequently invested a further £4,000 over a couple of weeks with the faker helping set up bank-free online accounts so that money could be changed to Bitcoin which the fraudster used.
Norfolk Trading Standards said the resident became “very uncomfortable” as they were always being asked for more money so, in an effort to stop, asked to withdraw their money.
But they sent a further £5,000 after receiving an email from the finance department using a fraudulent .com address saying it was needed to pay “exchange fees”.
The next day the trickster said the money hadn’t come through in time, so they asked for a “dormant fee” of £2,400 to cover the first £2,000 after exchange fees then another £5,500.
The victim eventually contacted Norfolk Citizens Advice after realising it was a scam when they were asked for a further £6,000 for a “mining tax fee”.
The fraud is now being investigated by Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime which is run by the City of London Police.
Earlier this year the shocking scale of online fraud suffered by Norfolk victims was exposed when it was revealed they had been fleeced out of more than £90m in just three months – or almost £1m a day.
The value of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have plummet this year (Image: Getty Images)
Action Fraud has warned cold callers often use high pressure selling techniques with the promise of high returns, particularly from investing in cryptocurrency, to persuade people to part with money.
A Norfolk Trading Standards spokesperson said: “We advise all residents to be very wary of links such as this on social media sites, and just ignore them.
“Never be rushed into an offer and always be on your guard against anyone trying to push you into a deal.
“Take time to seek independent legal or financial advice before making a decision, and remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
If you have been a victim of fraud or cybercrime, you can report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040. You can also report it to Norfolk Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 113.
