Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that the Office of Statewide Prosecution has recovered $23,000 for an active duty service member who was targeted by a cryptocurrency scam.
“This recovery should be a warning to criminals: even a China-based scammer wasn’t out of reach for our team,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Thanks to the diligent work of the Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit and our law enforcement partners, we have recovered the hard-earned money of one of our nation’s heroes.”
The service member, who lives in Osceola County and was deployed overseas at the time, received an email from someone pretending to be Microsoft. The message claimed his accounts had been compromised and told him he needed to transfer Bitcoin immediately to protect his funds.
After the incident was reported to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office Economic Crimes Unit, they worked with a U.S. Secret Service analyst and the Office of the Attorney General Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit (CFEU) to freeze access to the stolen funds. The CFEU then obtained a court order and returned the money to the victim.
Officials warn that legitimate businesses, financial institutions, or government agencies will not contact people by email, text, or social media to request money or demand payment in cryptocurrency. They advise individuals not to pay anyone who contacts them unexpectedly and demands payment. According to authorities, scammers often use emotional manipulation and create urgency so victims act quickly without verifying information or seeking advice.
People are encouraged to verify any phone communication with banks or government agencies before sharing personal information.
Those who suspect they have been victims of fraud can file complaints at MyFloridaLegal.com or call 1-866-9-NO-SCAM.
