Athena Bitcoin

Fraud Alert

Never Buy a Car on Craigslist Using Bitcoin!

A new scam popped up in the 2nd week of February 2017 on our Bitcoin ATM network.

It works like this:

  1. Consumer finds a used car listing on Craigslist.
  2. Responds to seller via the Craigslist email system.
  3. Consumer receives “official looking” Amazon Web Services email.  In other instances it is an “official looking” EBay Motors email.
  4. The email directs the consumer to “pay with bitcoin” (see attached example)
  5. Because the consumer is responding to a geo located Craigslist ad they are directed to a Bitcoin ATM in their metro area.  This includes an exact address of the location of the Bitcoin ATM.
  6. There is a QR code that is the scammers Bitcoin address.
  7. The consumer pays the amount specified in Bitcoin by buying bitcoin at the Bitcoin ATM and sending to the scammers address.
  8. Once the scammer has been paid, the consumer tries to reach the fraudster.  He is now gone, so is the consumers cash, and there is no car being delivered.  There never was one.

Athena Bitcoin Inc. has various fraud detection process’ in place to help the consumer.  As always it is really up to the consumer to beware of this scam.

If the sellers response is in the form of an “official looking” email from EBay Motors or Amazon Services. 

The consumer is WARNED!

Never buy a car on Craigslist using Bitcoin!

Never buy a car on Craigslist using Bitcoin!

Never buy a car on Craigslist using Bitcoin!