Sterling Heights has become ground zero for cryptocurrency fraud in metro Detroit, with police reporting nearly two dozen cases totaling more than $500,000 in losses since January.

The city leads Macomb and Oakland counties with 27 cryptocurrency machines the most of any community in the region. But Sterling Heights Police say fraud connected to those machines has increased significantly this year.

"I believe we had a lady in her 70s who was scammed in a romance type scam, she met someone online the person started asking for money they were in need of money," said Chief Andy Satterfield of Sterling Heights Police.

The woman lost more than $70,000 to the scammer.

"She would just send him money, I believe, over 70 thousand dollars worth," Satterfield said.

The chief described the loss a

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