Bitcoin ATMs aren’t quite the same as traditional ATMs, but they are quickly spreading into a lot of the same places. Convenience stores across the country have taken advantage of this trend, and many are enjoying increased foot traffic and business because of it. Buying and selling Bitcoin is made easy with these special Bitcoin ATMs, and sometimes other cryptocurrencies can get in on the action as well. The recent booms in cryptocurrency have led to more investment into the cryptocurrency space, fueling the spread of these specialized ATMs. But convenience stores aren’t the only ones noticing this new wave, Bitcoin scams are also on the rise thanks to all these new opportunities.
Bitcoin Scams in Convenience Stores
Bitcoin scams can happen when employees of a store are tricked into using the store’s money to buy Bitcoin in a cryptocurrency account that they do not own. While Bitcoin ATMs are still new to the market, there have been cases of employees getting calls from people pretending to be part of the store’s management, or at the corporate headquarters, asking them to deposit money in a certain account. If the scammers know a couple details about the store, or who they’re calling, the ruse is more believable.
Other Types of Scams
Convenience stores have long been targets of scams, like card skimming or some phone scams. Bitcoin ATMs are really just the tip of the iceberg. Luckily, you can take steps to avoid your employees falling victim to those types of scams as well.
Preventing Scams at Convenience Stores
Businesses never want to be the target of any type of scam or other crime. There are many steps you can take to avoid becoming a target of crime, some ways are better than others.
- Employee training can often be one of the best ways to prevent fraud. Providing a clear, consistent message will help raise awareness and reinforce the seriousness of the situation.
- On-the-job training is an incredibly valuable tool that gives employees first-hand experience on the job.
- Role-playing scenarios dealing with potential Bitcoin scams can really help the message stick. If your employees see how scammers might one day try to con them, and can practice how to respond, they should be better prepared if anyone were to try to scam them for real.
It can be tough to institute a training regimen though, especially one that provides a consistent message so that all your employees are on the same page. Using a learning management system can make that process easier—especially one that can give you all the benefits of blended learning, which combines all three of the above training strategies to fully reinforce everything the employee learns and help them retain the message.
At the end of the day, the message your employees need to hear from you is that nobody from management or the corporate office will ever try to have them use cash from the store to buy Bitcoin. When having these conversations with your employees, you can also send the message that preventing fraud not only protects the company or store, but it also protects the employees and their jobs.
Prepare for Bitcoin Scams
If your employees are at risk of being targeted by cryptocurrency–based scams, save yourself and the company a lot of trouble and money by providing them with training to recognize Bitcoin scams.
