CINCINNATI — A special unit within the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has recovered more than $36,000 for a 67-year-old Butler County woman who fell victim to a cryptocurrency scam, officials announced Thursday.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said investigators with BCI’s Electronic Financial Investigations Unit were able to trace the stolen money, freeze further transfers and recover a portion of the victim’s lost funds.
“Technology drives innovation, but sometimes cybercriminals are behind the wheel,” Yost said. “While we can help after the fact, your best defense is to be skeptical anytime a stranger asks you to make a financial transaction.”
According to investigators, the woman was using her computer on Dec. 4, 2024, when a message appeared warning that her device had been hacked. She called a phone number listed in the message and was connected to a scammer posing as a Microsoft technician.
The con artists, pretending to be representatives from her bank and the Social Security Administration, convinced her to buy a new laptop, grant them remote access and withdraw a total of $88,000 from her bank accounts. They then directed her to deposit the money into a cryptocurrency kiosk.
Once the woman realized she had been defrauded, she contacted Fairfield Township Police, who reached out to BCI for assistance. Working with the prosecutor’s office, investigators tracked the stolen funds and recovered $36,000 through court orders and search warrants.
“Scammers use technology to steal from our elderly population, but we can use that same technology — and the long arm of the law — to get those stolen funds back,” Gmoser said.
The Electronic Financial Investigations Unit focuses on complex digital fraud cases involving cryptocurrency, racketeering and organized crime. The team combines expertise from BCI’s Forensic Accounting, Cyber Crime, Special Investigations and Criminal Intelligence units.
Officials remind consumers to stay alert for cryptocurrency scams, which often target older adults. Scammers may claim they need payment to remove a virus, post bail for a loved one, or fix a hacked account — and direct victims to deposit money into Bitcoin ATMs.
Authorities urge anyone who suspects a scam to contact local law enforcement immediately or reach out to BCI by calling 855-BCI-OHIO or emailing Intel@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.
