Senior Marblehead Resident Falls Victim To $60K Scam: Police

MARBLEHEAD, MA — A Marblehead senior citizen lost more than $60,000 in a scam where fraudsters convinced the victim that accounts were compromised and savings should be converted into BitCoin, when it was then stolen, according to police.

Police said the victim in what they called an "Apple Computer scam" included the victim being persuaded to withdraw money from the accounts on multiple occasions across the North Shore and then converting it to BitCoin after fraudsters convinced the victim that Russian and Chinese hackers had compromised the accounts.

"While predominantly a crime targeting senior citizens, younger people have also fallen victim to this type of crime," Marblehead police said. "When asked to move money (for any reason, by anyone), please — slow down, think and act with reason and purpose, not from emotion. Look up the number of the business yourself and call them (or go there in person if it's a local bank) and talk to someone face to face."

Marblehead police last month said the scams were so rampant and targeted at the elderly that warning notices were put up at banks and shipping businesses, and they asked employees at those businesses to take the extra step to intervene and ask questions if it appears an older customer may be withdrawing or wiring money in a way that appears consistent with one of these scams.

"If folks at your banking institution are asking you why you are withdrawing large sums of cash, please don't take offense," police said on Tuesday. "They are genuinely concerned and are wanting to make sure you are not falling prey to a scam artist who can be very convincing."

Police said the most recent victim is being assisted by the victim's bank, Marblehead police and Age Span — which was formerly known as North Shore Elder Services.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)