ARANSAS PASS, Tx — An Aransas Pass veteran is sharing his experience after losing thousands to a scam involving a fraudulent computer warning, a fake support line and a Bitcoin ATM. A case he hopes will help others avoid similar schemes.
Mike Williams, who has lived in Aransas Pass for more than 12 years, told KRIS 6 News he was targeted after a pop-up appeared on his computer claiming it had been hacked. Believing the number listed was legitimate technical support, he called and spoke with a man who warned him his financial accounts were at risk.
“He told me, ‘Your financial sites will be in danger,’” Williams told KRIS 6 News. “So you talk about financial situations, that rings a bell.”
Williams said the scammer convinced him to withdraw cash from his bank and deposit it into what he believed was a standard ATM. He later learned it was a Bitcoin machine and that the account he deposited into had been set up by the scammer.
Over two visits, Williams said he deposited two large sums of cash, the latter after a store employee briefly approached him and warned him of fraud. “I told him, ‘Don’t do that,’ and he walked away,” Williams said.
The next morning, Williams said he realized something was wrong and attempted to confront the scammer by phone. After the scammer hung up, Williams reported the incident to Aransas Pass police.
He has since contacted AARP, which is connecting him with a fraud specialist to reopen the case.
Williams said he recognized similarities between his own experience and a recent case out of Florida involving an 80-year-old veteran, which he saw reported by NBC 6 South Florida. In that case, Sunrise Police intervened after the man attempted to deposit tens of thousands of dollars into a Bitcoin ATM while on the phone with scammers posing as his bank.
Authorities in that case said the scammers created “a sense of urgency” and claimed the man’s bank account was compromised.
According to AARP, Americans reported $12.5 billion in losses to scams and fraud in 2024, the highest amount ever recorded. Older adults reported the largest losses, with victims in their 70s reporting a median loss of $1,000. Investment and cryptocurrency-related scams were among the most financially damaging, AARP reported.
Williams said he hopes telling his story will help others, especially seniors and veterans, avoid falling victim.
“You can’t be too careful,” he told KRIS 6 News. “Don’t believe everything that you read on that computer or call numbers. Be very cautious.”
According to AARP, anyone who encounters a scam or fraud attempt can report it to:
- Federal Trade Commission: reportfraud.ftc.gov
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: IC3.gov
- AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360
AARP fraud specialists can provide guidance on next steps and help victims navigate the reporting process.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
