NAMPA, Idaho — A manager at a Nampa Albertson’s is being praised by the Nampa Police Department for helping combat a Bitcoin scam.
Janeal, a manager at an Albertson’s in Nampa, recently noticed a man on his phone putting a stack of cash into the Bitcoin machine at the front of the store. She suspected he might be being scammed, so Janeal intervened and convinced him that the caller was scamming him, according to Nampa Police.
The victim told Janeal that he was on the phone with the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office and was instructed to send money via cryptocurrency to pay a federal bond for an outstanding warrant. Janeal was able to convince the victim that the sheriff’s office would not have him pay anything over the phone or by Bitcoin.
The victim then went to the Nampa Police Department to report the incident. Police learned that the scammer was spoofing the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office phone number, making the scam even more convincing.
Nampa Police met with Janeal on Wednesday, where she was presented with a Nampa Police challenge coin as a token of appreciation for being a caring community member.
The Nampa Police Department reminds the community that no law enforcement agency will ask you to pay anything over the phone or with cryptocurrency.