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Oconomowoc woman loses $24K in Bitcoin scam
An Oconomowoc woman is sharing her story in hopes of warning others, after falling victim to a Bitcoin scam where she ended up losing $24,000.
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - An Oconomowoc woman doesn’t want you to fall for the same scam that robbed her of her savings.
The victim, 77-year-old Lee Ann Malec, lost nearly $24,000.
Malec was paying bills last week on her laptop when a message from Microsoft popped up. She called the telephone number on the screen for tech support.
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"He proceeded to show me a black screen of everything being compromised," Malec said. "At that time, he had access to everything."
Lee Ann Malec and Deanna Marincic
Oconomowoc police say the person on the other end of the phone wasn’t from Microsoft and likely wasn’t even in the U.S.
"[The scammer said] there’s someone in Chase Corporation that has gotten into your account," she recalled. "They are planning to take your money."
She was told the only way to protect her savings was to deposit it into cryptocurrency.
Investigators say Malec went inside a liquor store and stuffed hundred dollar bills into the machine. The con man took her for $23,800.
Malec’s daughter Deanna Marincic calls it "psychological kidnapping."
Marincic is a therapist who specializes in trauma. She plans on offering a free clinic for scam victims at Gals Institute in Delafield.
"They read her," Marincic said. "Her personality and anxiety."
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Malec is not alone.
The Federal Trade Commission said Americans lost nearly $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency fraud cases last year.
"I’m fearful. I’m afraid to go anywhere," Malec said. "I’m afraid to tell anyone."
Because cryptocurrency is unregulated, Malec is doubtful she’ll ever get her money back. But she said it’s not too late for others, which is why she’s sharing her story.
"Do not fall for anything that comes on your laptop or your phone," she said. "Just go an seek help."
Police seized the cash from the cryptocurrency machine and are still investigating.
Investigators say if this happens to you, hang up the phone, shut down your computer and call the police.