BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar is warning the community about a cryptocurrency scam targeting relatives of inmates, after an elderly Comal County couple lost $25,000 to callers posing as law enforcement and bond agents.
Salazar said the couple, both in their 70s, were called around 3 p.m. Friday and kept on the phone for about eight hours.
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The callers allegedly told the couple they could help get their son out of the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.
Salazar said scammers had them drive from Comal County to several San Antonio retail establishments using Bitcoin machines until they had paid $25,000.
“Our hope is that we can hopefully help these folks get their money back,” Salazar said. “Our chances of identifying scammers that were doing this are, I’ll be honest, are slim to none.”
In an effort to eliminate future scams, Salazar said he previously sent a request to the San Antonio City Council to create a city ordinance, requiring a sign near cryptocurrency machines.
Salazar said the sign would warn people that if they are on the phone with someone they believe is law enforcement, they should not use the machine, should not deposit money and should hang up immediately.
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Salazar said the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office had its first meeting with District 5 councilmember Terri Castillo on Friday.
The sheriff said Castillo reached out to BCSO and said she “seems to be showing some interest in spearheading this effort.”
He also mentioned he had a telephone conversation with District 9 councilmember Misty Spears, “who also seems to be interested.”
“I’ll be meeting with the city council people periodically over the next couple of weeks in hopes of getting this city ordinance,” Salazar said.
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