An Aransas Pass veteran is sharing a cautionary tale about a scam that resulted in significant financial loss, emphasizing the importance of vigilance against fraudulent schemes. Mike Williams, a resident of Aransas Pass for over a decade, fell prey to the scam after encountering a pop-up message on his computer that falsely claimed his device had been hacked.
Believing the pop-up was legitimate, Williams called the number listed for technical support and spoke with an individual who raised alarm bells regarding the safety of his financial accounts. “He told me, ‘Your financial sites will be in danger,’” Williams recounted, explaining how the threat directed at his finances struck a chord and heightened his concern.
Following the conversation, the scammer persuaded Williams to withdraw money from his bank account and deposit it into what he was led to believe was a standard ATM. However, he later discovered it was a Bitcoin ATM, and the account into which he deposited the cash was controlled by the scammer. Over the course of two visits to the machine, Williams deposited large sums of money. During the second visit, a store employee warned him about potential fraud, saying, “I told him, ‘Don’t do that,’ and he walked away,” Williams recalled, indicating that despite the warning, he proceeded with the transaction.
The next day, Williams sensed something amiss and attempted to confront the scammer over the phone, but the call ended abruptly. Subsequently, he reported the incident to local authorities in Aransas Pass. In an effort to seek justice, he has reached out to AARP, which is assisting him in connecting with a fraud specialist to reevaluate his case.
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Williams’s experience mirrors that of an 80-year-old veteran from Florida, whose plight was highlighted by NBC 6 South Florida. In that situation, police intervened when the senior was about to deposit a large sum of money into a Bitcoin ATM while conversing with scammers impersonating bank officials. In both instances, a false sense of urgency was a common tactic used by the fraudsters to manipulate their victims.
Statistics from AARP reveal that fraud and scams accounted for losses totaling $12.5 billion for Americans in 2024—the highest figure on record. Older adults, particularly those in their 70s, bore the brunt of these financial damages, with a median loss of $1,000 noted. Scams related to investments and cryptocurrency emerged as some of the most costly.
In light of his harrowing experience, Williams aims to raise awareness, particularly among seniors and veterans, urging them to be skeptical of unexpected messages or phone calls. “You can’t be too careful,” he advised. “Don’t believe everything that you read on that computer or call numbers. Be very cautious.”
For those who may encounter similar scams, AARP recommends reporting incidents to the Federal Trade Commission via reportfraud.ftc.gov, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov, or contacting the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 for guidance on how to proceed.
