Gail Barr, a 70-year-old nurse practitioner, almost lost nearly $10,000 to a jury duty crypto scam. The scammer, posing as Chief Deputy Derek Elmore from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, called her on her birthday, claiming she had missed jury duty and needed to pay a fine or risk arrest. The scammer used real names and official-sounding titles, including Judge Jennifer Zipes and Police Captain John Bailey, to make the call feel legitimate. He instructed Gail to stay on the phone, withdraw cash, and use a Bitcoin machine to avoid arrest. Gail, feeling pressured and confused, followed the instructions and deposited $9,260 at a Bitcoin kiosk. However, after paying, the scammer demanded another $12,000, and Gail realized she had been scammed. She managed to get her money back by reporting the incident to the police and the cryptocurrency kiosk company, thanks to Arizona's Cryptocurrency Kiosk License Fraud Prevention law. This law requires crypto kiosk operators to provide fraud warnings, transaction receipts, daily limits, and refund protections for certain victims who report fraud within the required time window. Gail's story highlights the importance of being cautious when receiving unexpected calls and the need for states to implement laws protecting victims of crypto ATM scams. The article also provides tips for avoiding jury duty scams, such as hanging up and verifying the claim yourself, never paying a court fine through a Bitcoin ATM, and checking your jury duty status through the court. Additionally, it offers guidance on what to do if you've already paid a crypto scammer, including filing a police report, contacting the crypto kiosk operator, and reporting the scam to federal agencies. Overall, the article serves as a cautionary tale and a call to action for states to implement stronger protections for victims of crypto ATM scams.
