legendary
Activity: 1050
Merit: 1000
Background
I own Winnipeg's original ATM, it's a two way machine from BitAccess.
What happened.
Yesterday I stopped by the machine to empty it, and a young women was trying to scan a QR Code.
I told her to zoom out, it was pixelated.
So she got that to work than proceeded to insert $1900CAD into my machine.
Pressed finish.
While she was using he machine I had some general inquiries, asked if she knew much about it, If she minded me asking what she was doing it for, her quick answer was "For my work".
So I left it at that.
Once she was finished, I went to open the machine, than she suddenly became more talkative, I guess realizing I owned it.
So here's her story, please, How many red flags do you see?
She was hired by a company out of Miraco*, To be their Canadian Financial Rep.
They were moving a company office into our town and she was the first hire.
She took it upon herself to call the building they had apparently rented an office in. The building told her "No company by that name is moving in, and we have no open offices", She proceeded to contact the company again, they said "Not sure why they would say that, we move in July, maybe it's a privacy thing".
They then wanted to test her ability to handle funds and different currencies.
So they asked her if she had access to purchase and send BTC, she had heard of my machine. so said yes, but clearly knew nothing more about it than that.
So, They send her an Electronic funds transfer of $2000 CAD, Told her to take her fee of $80 and Buy bitcoin to send to them, at a QR code they emailed her, To prove she can use both methods.
After this was where I'd started speaking with her.
** end her story**
Now, had she told me this prior to putting the money in and clicking send, I would have stopped her. RED FLAGS everywhere.
After the fact, I told her that sounded fishy and to call her bank and see what they say.
Today I got a call from her, she had started a report with the police, and they said it was obviously Fraud. And had told her to call me to see if she could get her money back.
I may be inclined to refund the access feee, for machine use. But frankly, this women had gullable written all over her. They saw it from Miraco, had I not spoken up she'd likely be till all happy.
That being said.
Have people seen this? She said it was sent as an EMT.
Which CAN be reversed, if sent form a hacked account etc.
The other option is, they just used the poor women to make an illegal transaction.
She is unsure if the bank will reverse the funds. Or if the RCMP or some other agency will come knocking.
Here's the transaction ID: ff7145605763de444302d2fd06226cd40c5732568159075ba1de580aaee445dd
And the wallet it was sent to, 17wzu7UDtyRRGWXqHUa8BvY53mJvKGAr7m
Which was clearly done by a few people and than cleared.
My kung foo for searching the blockchain is not very strong. but maybe some bored individual can find something I can pass on.
Although I feel this is gone.
Right now I'm in talks to ensure they don't think they get to come after me for refund.
Mostly posted as a story, and heads up. Although, So many read flags, I'm not sure 99% of people would fall for this, but it clearly works...
Thanks for listening.
EDIT:
To Clarify, I feel bad for the gullible person, but feel they should of known better, put no blame on myself, the BTM or Bitcoin. Just an interesting story.