Westlake Police Alert Residents to Rising Cryptocurrency Scams Exploiting Crypto ATMs

WESTLAKE, Ohio — The Westlake Police Department has issued a serious warning about a surge in cryptocurrency-related scams targeting residents through cryptocurrency ATMs across the city. Authorities are urging citizens to remain vigilant and avoid engaging with callers demanding money deposits into crypto machines under false pretenses.

According to police reports and public announcements, scammers are employing aggressive scare tactics to dupe individuals into sending money via cryptocurrency ATMs. Victims are often told they owe money for computer hacking offenses, warrants, bonds, or other fabricated legal troubles. The common instruction is to deposit cash or buy gift cards to feed into these machines with the assurance they will receive their money back eventually. However, these are unequivocal frauds.

“The moment you hear the word ‘crypto’ on a call, hang up immediately,” Westlake Police emphasized in multiple social media posts and official flyers distributed around the community. Despite efforts to educate the public by placing notices near affected ATM locations inside convenience stores and businesses, many residents—particularly older adults—continue to fall prey to these schemes.

Captain Jerry Vogel of the Westlake Police Department explained how the scammers operate: “They scare people into doing it with threats about police involvement, immediate arrest warrants, and other intimidation methods. The victims often feel trapped and hand over cash they cannot afford to lose.” To further illustrate these encounters, the department has shared bodycam footage showing moments when citizens are in the midst of being scammed.

The department’s advice to residents includes:

• Never deposit money into a cryptocurrency machine because of a phone call request.
• Be wary of anyone demanding payment for legal issues or technical fixes via crypto ATMs.
• Inform and educate family, neighbors, especially seniors, about these scams.
• Report suspicious calls and attempts to the local police and the Ohio Attorney General’s office promptly.

Westlake Police continue to combat this threat by increasing outreach efforts, posting warning flyers prominently around known crypto ATM machines, and encouraging the community to remain alert and informed. They stress that education is the most effective defense against these fear-based fraud attempts.

Residents encountering these scams or receiving threatening calls are urged to hang up immediately, block the caller’s number if possible, and report the incident to authorities. These scams not only cause financial loss but can also have severe emotional impacts on victims who are manipulated through intimidation.

For further assistance, the Westlake Police Department recommends contacting their office directly or reaching out to the Ohio Attorney General’s consumer protection division to report cryptocurrency fraud and get advice on protective measures.