Michigan Couple Out $350,000 in ATM Scam – How to Avoid It
(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Scammers are the worst. They often prey on the elderly and people who aren’t versed with modern technology, which is just so terrible. Now, an elderly Michigan couple has lost more than a third of a million dollars in an ATM and Bitcoin scam. Here’s how to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.
According to WILX (via UpperMichigansSource.com), detectives at the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office reported a Grand Traverse County couple lost $350,000 in terrible fraud case.
“It’s frustrating to lose money, but it’s also when you see people taken advantage of it’s difficult to watch,” Lt. Brandon Brinks told WILX. He stated the couple made multiple withdraws from a variety of banks to transfer money to coin flip, an ATM that works with bitcoin. “We’re getting money sent through Western Union wires and Green Dot cards and Walmart gift cards,” Brinks added. “There’s just there’s no end to the way that people find to have money transferred once you withdraw it from your bank.”
To avoid being scammed, Lieutenant Brinks says you should always phone a business directly from a number listed on their website.
Michigan's 25 'Worst Places' to Live
Michigan is a fantastic state, offering everything from the Great Lakes to Motown music to the dynamic automobile industry. That said, one new study has ranked Michigan’s cities from best to worst, naming a few areas of the state among the “worst” to live in.
The crew at RoadSnacks.net has put together a list of the “worst places to live in Michigan.” The study was done last year, but it uses the latest Census data, and it’s the most recent study of its kind by the outlet. “Thrillist just ranked Michigan as the best state in the nation, which should really come as no surprise to anyone,” RoadSnacks.net states. “With its four legitimate seasons, natural wonders, regional diversity and seemingly endless waterfront, it’s no wonder that Michigan would top all 49 of the lesser states on any list you might want to throw together. All the same, anyone familiar with Michigan knows there are places that need some real TLC right now. And it’s not just Detroit. In fact, there are cities that might need a hug even more than Detroit.”
By the way, if you weren’t aware, Michigan has a population of nearly 10.12 million and a total area of almost 97,000 square miles, making it the 10th-largest state by population and the 11th-largest by area. Read on for Michigan’s worst cities to live in, according to RoadSnacks.net, and find the full study here. Of course, just because a city makes this list, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. “We understand there’s a lot of good in every place,” the publication states. The data comes from the Census’s most recent American Community Survey and from the FBI Uniform Crime Report. “We broke crime down into violent crime and property crime to give violent crime a larger weight — if you did a simple calculation of all crimes per capita, property crimes are normally 7x more common and really bias that ranking, they state.
Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.