Scammer poses as business owner, tricks Wilkes-Barre worker into Bitcoin deposit

WILKES-BARRE, PA – A South Main Street business employee was scammed out of hundreds of dollars Sunday afternoon after falling victim to a theft by deception scheme.

Police said the incident happened around 3:12 p.m. when the worker received a phone call from a man claiming to be the new owner of the business.

The caller instructed the employee to withdraw money from the cash register and deposit it into a nearby Bitcoin machine.

Believing the request was legitimate, the employee followed the directions and deposited nearly $800 before realizing it was a scam.

The Wilkes-Barre City Police Department is investigating the incident and reminding businesses to verify the identity of anyone requesting financial transactions over the phone.

A fake voice on the line turned an ordinary workday into a costly mistake.

Shore News Network Staff Report

Shore News Network Staff Report is the official newsroom byline used by Shore News Network when a story is produced through the collaborative work of multiple members of the editorial team rather than a single reporter.

This newsroom account is reserved for articles that involve contributions from multiple journalists, editors, photographers, researchers, or news desk staff. It is also used for developing stories that are updated as new verified information becomes available, as well as for community announcements, weather coverage, public safety alerts, election results, and other newsroom-produced content.

Every article published under the Shore News Network Staff Report byline is reviewed and edited in accordance with the organization's editorial standards for accuracy, fairness, attribution, and transparency. Information is verified through official government agencies, court records, law enforcement, public documents, direct reporting, interviews, and other reliable primary and secondary sources before publication whenever possible.

The Staff Report account does not use artificial intelligence to independently generate news or publish unverified information. AI-assisted tools may occasionally be used for editorial support tasks such as transcription, formatting, grammar review, or workflow efficiency, but all published content is subject to human editorial oversight and approval by Shore News Network's newsroom staff.

As an independently owned digital news organization, Shore News Network is committed to original reporting, public safety journalism, government accountability, local community coverage, and breaking news throughout New Jersey and surrounding regions. Stories published under the Staff Report byline reflect the collective experience and editorial judgment of the Shore News Network newsroom.

Readers who have corrections, additional information, or news tips related to a Staff Report article are encouraged to contact the newsroom at news@shorenewsnetwork.com. Shore News Network welcomes factual corrections and updates as part of its commitment to accurate, transparent journalism.