When Danny Foret’s computer froze one morning, a window flashed on the screen urging him to call Microsoft customer support. But after he dialed the number, Foret says, his minor headache turned disastrous.

The support agent informed him his computer had been hacked, giving someone access to his bank account: $9,000 had been spent at a child pornography site, with another $4,000 siphoned toward online gambling.

Panic set in, Foret recalls, but the voice on the other line was reassuring, his instructions clear: Don’t touch your computer, don’t speak to anyone, and above all, act fast.

Shaken, Foret followed orders, withdrawing cash from his local bank. To prevent further theft, the caller said, the rest of the money needed a secure location: a Bitcoin ATM across the street at a Chevron.

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