The Durham County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) is currently shining a light on a spate of phone scams that have been ensnaring residents of late. These scams, which have experienced an uptick in the county, begin with a call claiming the victim owes money or faces legal consequences unless they comply with demands to withdraw cash, purchase gift cards, or invest in bitcoin. The perpetrators of this nefarious scheme recently met with an unexpected setback when two individuals were nabbed allegedly trying to carry out one such scam.
As reported by the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a home in Northern Durham County on Tuesday. They detained two suspects, without incident, who reportedly showed up in a blue SUV after the victim was duped into believing they needed to put their money into a “Bitcoin ATM.” The suspects, identified as Crystal Brooks, 58, and Rudraksh Rawat, 20, both from Fayetteville, NC, were charged with Felony Conspiracy and Obtain Property by False Pretense and are held on a $15,000 secured bond.
Following the arrest, Durham County Sheriff Clarence F. Birkhead offered guidance to the public to thwart future scams. “Banks, the courts, and law enforcement will not call you and request payment for fines, fees, or to avoid arrest,” Birkhead stated. “These organizations do not take payments in gift cards or cryptocurrency.” He added that if someone asks for immediate payment or to communicate in secret, the best course of action is to simply hang up, according to the DCSO report…