Hingham Senior Scammed Out of $30,000 in Bitcoin Scheme

A 76-year-old Hingham resident was scammed out of $30,000 in cash after fraudsters convinced him his bank funds were at risk and persuaded him to deposit the money into a Bitcoin machine at a Norwell gas station, according to police.

On Monday, March 24, 2025, the resident came to the Hingham Police Department to report that he had fallen victim to the scam two weeks earlier.

The victim told police that scammers contacted him and convinced him that his computer had been infected with a virus or malware. He was told his money in a Hingham bank account was in danger of being stolen. The scammers then instructed him to withdraw $30,000 in cash but warned him not to inform bank staff of the reason for the withdrawal, claiming a bank employee "was corrupt as well."

According to the report, the scammer told the man to place the cash into an “FDIC machine” to keep it safe. When the resident asked where to find such a device, the caller directed him to a gas station in Norwell, where he saw a Bitcoin machine.

“The scammer explained that it was a ‘duel machine’ and it was safe to deposit the cash,” police reported in a statement. The man then deposited the $30,000 into what turned out to be the scammer’s Bitcoin account.

The scammer later contacted the resident again and urged him to convert $35,000 from his stock holdings into cash and deposit it into his Hingham bank account. As the resident prepared to make the withdrawal, he became suspicious when the scammer instructed him to “bring the cash home and someone would come by to pick it up in order to keep it safe.”

At that point, the resident realized he had been scammed and contacted his bank.

Police noted that in cases like this, scammers often keep victims on the phone for extended periods—sometimes two to three hours—while they drive to banks or ATMs, preventing them from verifying the information with others.

“As with most scams, they are skilled in their phone skills and putting fear into the victims that their money is at risk unless they follow directions,” the department stated.

Authorities are urging residents to speak with senior family members and friends, as they are often the primary targets of such scams.