RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office says it is aware of an SMS scam targeting local bitcoin holders.
They say that the scammer will pretend to be from Coinbase and provide a supposed one-time password for a withdrawal, urging victims to call and provide a phone number if the transaction is not authorized.
The text will involve a reference number and an OTP code. An example of the fraudulent message provided by the Sheriff’s Office reads: “ (COINBASE) The OTP code for your withdrawal is 736191. If this was not you please call us on +1 (877) 338-9228. Ref CB97405.”
They say key indicators of the scam are:
- Messages from unknown numbers not associated with Coinbase.
- Unsolicited OTP codes or withdrawal notifications.
- Requests to call a phone number to “verify” account activity.
- Suspicious formatting or overly urgent language
You are advised to not respond to the text or call the number that sent the message.
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