CLAYTON – A scammer persuaded a Johnston County man to hand over $138,784 in a matter of weeks in a cryptocurrency investment scam.
The Clayton resident said he was on the internet October 28 when he received a message from an unknown female asking if they could talk about investing in BitCoin.
The woman convinced the victim she was an investment broker and he agreed to invest $96,300 in BitCoin.
Over the next few weeks, the scammer told the victim his investment was making substantial gains. When he attempted to withdraw some of his money, the woman claimed he had to pay $29,000 in taxes on the gains, plus brokerage fees, to withdraw the money.
Unfortunately, the victim sent $42,484 in additional money.
He told authorities he sent a total of $138,784 to the woman, along with sexually explicit photos. After repeated requests for his money back, he lost contact with the woman.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office has opened an investigation into the scam.
This should make it in the Darwin Awards Top 10 for 2025.
It’s amazing how many people around here have so much money and so little sense.
Serves him right!
Had me feeling sorry for the dude until the “photos” part 😀 LOL
And what’s up with the photos he sent too! How was that not a red flag?? Smh
If this is true, this man is a fools fool!
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office has opened an investigation into the scam.
Into the money or the porn?
Just wow..He sent all that money and pics too..lol….that scammer hit the jack pot..a fool and his money soon part, so I’ve been told. I do kinda feel sorry for someone who loses money thru a scammer..
So, in other words, he found himself in a Romance scam (hence the explicit photos), got blackmailed into sending a large sum of money by bitcoin so the photos wouldn’t be sent to his family and friends? But, of course, the scammers continued demanding money until the victim was broke?
I don’t know for sure that it happened this way, but this scenario happens often (sadly). Keep Your Pants On People!