WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Warren woman says she lost nearly $20,000 after falling victim to a scam in which a caller posed as a Warren police officer, used fake legal documents, and threatened her with arrest if she did not comply.
Watch Peter Maxwell's report below
Michelle Fox, 78, says the ordeal began when she clicked a sponsored ad on Facebook, which caused her computer to flood with pop-up warnings.
"There was a phone number. I called them which I shouldn't but that's okay I am in panic mode," Fox said.
Fox says the person who answered claimed to scan her computer and then transferred her to someone claiming to be with the FTC. She then received a call from someone claiming to be with the Warren Police Department.
"Then I started getting a phone call from the Warren PD," Fox said.
Fox says the scammer sent her documents that appeared legitimate and told her she was connected to a criminal investigation.
"This thing was so elaborate with all of these legal papers they sent me. It looked perfectly legit," Fox said.
The scammer told Fox she could be arrested, have her assets seized, and that she should not speak to anyone about the situation.
"They would come and arrest me and forfeiture all my assets, my car, my home and everything and not to trust anybody," Fox said.
Fox says the scammer told her the only way to avoid arrest was to send nearly $20,000 in Bitcoin. She withdrew the cash and deposited it into a Bitcoin kiosk at a mobile gas station on Van Dyke.
"I am in a panic. I do this and he says okay good," Fox said.
The following day, the scammer called again and demanded another $15,000. That is when Fox contacted Warren police and filed a report.
Warren Police Lt. John Gajewski says law enforcement will never ask for money or Bitcoin over the phone.
"Us in law enforcement we're never going to ask for money over the phone and we are certainly never going to ask someone to produce bitcoin as a form of payment," Gajewski said.
Gajewski says scammers in cases like this typically create a sense of urgency, demand immediate payment, and instruct victims to isolate themselves from others.
"These scammers are very good and many of them are international and overseas which adds a layer of complexity," Gajewski said.
Fox says she is embarrassed but hopes sharing her story will prevent others from becoming victims.
"I wanted to raise awareness because of the elaborate scheme they used," Fox said.
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