The DeLand Police Department is asking residents to be wary of scammers attempting to trick people into paying them through the use of a cryptocurrency ATM and QR code. In a case reported to DPD this week, a resident was bilked out of more than $16,000.

The scam involves individuals posing as legitimate agencies, convincing victims to withdraw money from their bank, deposit it into a cryptocurrency ATM and then providing a digital QR code to redirect the money back to the individual.

The FBI has warned of this fraudulent scheme and others like it that leverage cryptocurrency ATMs and QR codes to receive money from victims. In other cases, the scammers also identify as a familiar entity such as law enforcement, government, a legal office or a utility company.

—DeLand Police Department press release