The rise of untraceable cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, may be causing an uptick in online scams throughout California — and some of these scammers’ current victims are Santa Barbara residents.
Picture this: You receive a text message from an unknown phone number with an image of your own home attached. You respond, worried that this stranger now knows where you live. And to your horror, they tell you they’ve hacked your phone, accessing your videos, photos, and search history. Then, the mystery hacker tells you they’re going to send all of your most personal content to your contacts, possibly damaging friendships or social connections.
But they offer you a solution.
They tell you that if you send them $2,000 through Bitcoin, the problem goes away. They leave you, your phone, your home, and your friends alone for a hefty price if you’ll only pay up.
This horror story is increasingly becoming a reality for a number of Santa Barbara residents being targeted by online fraudsters.
But it’s just a scammer, not a stalker or hacker, said Sergeant Bryan Kerr, a public information officer with the Santa Barbara Police Department. “The scammer seems to be making baseless claims,” said Kerr. “Street images used in the scam can come from various sources such as Google Maps.” Kerr added that none of the threats had been acted upon: “Phones that have been involved in the scam show no evidence of being hacked.”
The creepy stalkers are virtual con artists, preying on residents who may be caught off-guard by threats that have been found to be baseless so far. If you have been targeted by these online tricksters, you may report the scam to the Santa Barbara Police Department here.
At UC Santa Barbara, the university’s Police Department is investigating similar reports, in which scammers call victims pretending to be police officers or government officials, demanding money through online platforms like Venmo and Apple Pay. UCPD sent these safety tips to the campus community:
- Never share personal or financial information by email, text, or over the phone.
- Do not transfer money to or deposit checks from unknown contacts.
- Immediately block suspicious emails or text messages, and report them as spam if this is an option from the service provider.
UCPD is investigating these crimes. If you’re on campus and have information that might assist in the investigation, please contact the UCSB Police Department at (805) 893-3446, or report crime information anonymously here.
Scammers use fear tactics and public information to make threats seem personal and urgent, pushing victims to pay through hard-to-trace virtual platforms. Recognizing the common warning signs — like unsettling photos, demands for cryptocurrency, ominous messages from unknown contacts, and claims of hacked devices — are ways to avoid falling prey to these schemes. Local authorities are actively investigating these incidents, urging everyone to report suspicious messages and avoid engaging with cyber scammers.
