Detroit woman loses $17,500 to Bitcoin ATM scam after fraudulent Apple Pay text message

Summary

Stacy Hazinski lost $17,500 after responding to a fraudulent text message in April 2025. The message claimed she would be charged $114.02 for an unauthorized Apple Pay purchase, prompting her to call a number provided. During the call, scammers convinced her to deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM to "secure" her funds. The scam resulted in the theft of her income tax refund and the draining of her savings account at a local credit union. The incident occurred in Detroit.