Family of missing Las Vegas woman reports Bitcoin scam calls impersonating her

A 63-year-old woman who vanished in Las Vegas on Aug. 8 after leaving a friend’s home has become the subject of a suspected scam. Family members say they have received calls and text messages from the woman’s phone that request payment in Bitcoin.

The woman’s niece said the messages claimed the woman’s card had stopped working and asked for a Bitcoin transfer via Cash App. When she tried to verify the caller, the voice said it was at a gas station and could not speak. The niece said the woman does not drive, raising doubts about the caller’s identity.

The woman’s son also received a call that he believes was from an impersonator. He recorded part of the conversation, during which the caller claimed to be at home and said the phone was “bad,” before the call dropped.

Las Vegas police have taken the case, classifying the woman as a missing adult. A police spokesperson said there is “nothing to suggest she is in danger” and that the recent communications appear to be “spoofing,” a technique where scammers falsify caller ID information, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

The investigation remains ongoing.