Bend, OR – An elderly La Pine woman was scammed out of more than $57,000 after suspects allegedly posed as her neighbor and directed her to make multiple Bitcoin transactions, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
According to deputies, the incident began on September 9, 2025, when the victim received calls from people claiming to be her neighbor in need of bail money after a car crash. Believing she was helping, the woman withdrew cash from her safe and deposited it into Bitcoin kiosks at several locations across La Pine and Bend.
Deputies said the scammers used multiple phone numbers and disguised their voices to gain the victim’s trust. Over the course of a single day, the woman completed transactions totaling $57,200 before a concerned neighbor recognized the scam and alerted law enforcement.
The Sheriff’s Office reported that Deputy Aaron Alexander assisted the victim in filing a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Receipts from the Bitcoin transactions have been collected as evidence, and the case remains under federal review.
Officials are urging residents to remain cautious of unexpected calls requesting payment through gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Detectives recommend verifying the caller directly, avoiding sharing personal details over the phone, and reporting suspicious calls to law enforcement or the FBI’s IC3.gov website.
Anyone with information related to this case or similar scams is asked to contact the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at (541) 693-6911.
