Georgia authorities returned cryptocurrency to Oconee County fraud victims targeted by scammers

An elderly Georgia couple who was targeted by scammers had their money returned to them thanks to the work of state and county law authorities, officials say.

The Attorney General's Office announced that its White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit worked with the Oconee County Sheriff's Office to seize and return the funds.

According to officials, the couple was persuaded to contact the scammer after a pop-up made it seem like they had a security breach targeting their bank account. The individual pretended to be from the Federal Trade Commission and told the victims to take funds out of their account and put it into a cryptocurrency kiosk, staying on the phone with them to avoid detection by bank tellers, officials said.

Investigators were able to track the crypto through multiple wallets and seize it. A court ordered the crypto returned to the victims.

"Our White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit is on the forefront of this fight – disrupting crypto scams, tracing transactions and recovering stolen funds," Attorney General Chris Carr said. "Unfortunately, scammers often target older adults, and we're determined to do whatever it takes to protect their livelihoods. These are complex investigations that wouldn't be possible without strong partnerships, and we're proud to work with the Oconee County Sheriff's Office and the GBI to achieve this latest outcome."

The FTC says that consumers should avoid paying businesses that appear to be legitimate who demand cryptocurrency in advance. Government officials will also not contact you to ask to take money out of your bank account.

If you believe you have been a victim of a crypto scam, report the crime to local law enforcement, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the FTC.