CARY, N.C. (WTVD) — A Cary woman is sharing her story after losing thousands of dollars in a sophisticated jury duty scam that authorities say is increasingly targeting Wake County residents.
Mia Bashir says the ordeal started with what seemed like a legitimate phone call from someone claiming to be a deputy. “I answered the phone and the guy introduced himself as a deputy,” Bashir told Troubleshooter Diane Wilson.
What made the call seem real was the personal information the caller already knew.
“He had my full name, my maiden name. He even read off my entire Social Security number. And so that made me think that this was legitimate,” she said.
I could not sleep, and I was in tears for a good solid week. It was awful. It makes you question yourself.
The caller claimed Bashir had failed to appear for jury duty and was facing both civil and criminal charges. While she was on the phone, she says she received documents by text message that appeared to come from the U.S. Department of Justice outlining laws she had allegedly violated.
“There was a warrant for my arrest, and they were going to help me take care of it,” Bashir said. “They were going to walk me through the process, get me in the car, and have me basically post my bond.”
Bashir says the caller kept her on the phone for hours, directing her every move. She was instructed to withdraw thousands of dollars from her bank account and drive to a gas station in Apex.
Mia Bashir is speaking publicly in hopes of preventing others from becoming victims.
“I was instructed to go to the federal machine, where I would then put the money in under my name,” she said.
The machine, however, was not a federal payment kiosk. It was a cryptocurrency ATM.
“I thought it was a little bit strange that it was a Bitcoin machine, but he’s in my ear, right?” Bashir said. “He had me on the phone for hours, and you’re not able to walk away and think rationally.”
After depositing thousands of dollars, Bashir says the caller told her she had only covered the “state portion” of the charges and still needed to pay a federal portion. She deposited thousands more.
The caller then told her the money would be held until she appeared before a judge the next day, at which point she would receive it back. Later that day, Bashir realized she had been scammed.
“I could not sleep, and I was in tears for a good solid week,” she said. “It was awful. It makes you question yourself. It makes you question other people. I’ve watched plenty of shows, and I’ve heard plenty of stories to know, you know, that this happens, and yet somehow, they have a way with their system. They get you.”
She reported the incident to the police and is now speaking publicly in hopes of preventing others from becoming victims.
“Embarrassing as I guess it might seem, I don’t want this to happen to anybody else. It was one of the most traumatizing experiences of my life. It was awful,” Bashir said.
Bashir is not alone when it comes to falling for a scam where a bitcoin ATM is used. The ABC11 I-Team, in collaboration with ABC News, has been investigating scams involving cryptocurrency ATMs. These kiosks allow users to deposit cash and purchase cryptocurrency that can then be transferred to another person. The FBI reported that Americans lost nearly $389 million to cryptocurrency ATM scams in 2025.
Authorities warn of an increase in jury duty scams
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson recently warned that scammers have redoubled their efforts to target Wake County residents with fake jury duty summons calls.
“Scammers want you to panic and send money before you have time to think,” Jackson said. “If you get one of these calls, hang up, take a beat, and verify the information with a trusted source before taking any action.”
Wake County Sheriff Willie Rowe says his office continues to receive reports of scammers impersonating law enforcement officers and using the names and badge numbers of real deputies to appear legitimate.
“These criminals are sophisticated and often spoof official phone numbers to appear legitimate,” Rowe said. “We urge the public not to panic, verify the information independently, and, if they are a victim, report it to their local law enforcement agency immediately.”
Officials stress that law enforcement agencies will never call residents to demand payment or threaten arrest for missed jury duty.
Red flags to watch for
Authorities say residents should be cautious if they receive a call claiming they missed jury duty and are being asked to make an immediate payment.
Other warning signs include demands for payment through cryptocurrency, gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency ATMs.
At least 30 states have enacted laws related to cryptocurrency kiosks. North Carolina lawmakers are currently considering legislation that would establish daily transaction limits, require fraud warnings, and impose additional consumer protections for crypto ATM operators. AARP is also working to change legislation in NC and warn people about crypto ATM scams.
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