Scammers targeting older Hopewell residents, pretending to be family

HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) -- Scammers posing as family members in crisis are targeting older Hopewell residents, convincing them to empty their bank accounts into Bitcoin machines.

On Thursday, Sept. 25, the Hopewell Police Department took to its Facebook to alert the public to an ongoing scam.

Several Hopewell banks have reported that older customers are being scammed into emptying their bank accounts into Bitcoin machines by callers posing as either family members or bank employees.

The story these scammers use is that a family member is in need of money, or that the bank itself has been compromised. Authorities stressed that a bank will never call you and ask you to do something like this.

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Older adults are especially vulnerable to scams like these. The money involved in these scams is almost never recovered, according to authorities, so it's important to remain vigilant.

For tips on how to avoid being scammed, click here or visit the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) website. You can also report suspect fraud to the FTC here.