County resident scammed, loses close to $80,000
News | Published on September 2, 2025 at 2:10pm GMT+0000 | Author: Tucker Henderson
0By Tom Hintgen
Otter Tail County Correspondent
The county Sheriff Office, on Aug. 22, reported that a county resident in central Otter Tail County lost approximately $80,000 in a Bitcoin scam. Deputies said the county resident deposited money over a long period of time into what he did not know was a Bitgenie account scam.
This was likely a fraudulent investment where scammers impersonate legitimate crypto platforms and trick victims into depositing funds into fake accounts.
The county resident, when trying to withdraw funds, received information from the scammers that he would be required to pay a 12 percent loan interest fee.
He contacted county sheriff deputies who told him this was likely a scam originating outside the continental United States. They advised the scam victim to contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
County deputies and other law enforcement representatives say that Bitcoin scams use social engineering to trick people into sending cryptocurrency, often promising unrealistic returns while impersonating well-known entities. To avoid them, they say to be skeptical of unsolicited offers and high-return promises.
People are urged to verify all requests independently by contacting organizations directly, and never send crypto to people you only know online. If you are scammed, report the incident to the FBI or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).