A 79-year-old Lincoln woman was defrauded of $800,000 in a year-long scam, according to Lincoln Police. The scheme began when she attempted to dispute an unauthorized transaction on PayPal and received a call from a scammer who claimed to be investigating her case.
Police reported that the woman sent payments of $1,000 to $2,000 in Bitcoin and gift cards regularly, believing it was part of a legitimate investigation. By the end of 2023, she had lost $400,000; this amount later doubled, totaling $800,000 by the time of the police report.
Authorities advise anyone who suspects they are a victim of a scam to report it immediately and cease all contact with scammers. Police urge family members to discuss the signs of fraud with loved ones and report suspected scams to local police or through the Attorney General’s website.
PayPal emphasized that they will never ask customers for sensitive information like passwords, SMS verification codes, or financial details through email, text, or phone.