The family of Alisa Goods, a 63-year-old woman from Brooklyn, New York, has reported receiving Bitcoin payment demands from her phone after she went missing in Las Vegas on August 8.
Police have classified Goods as a missing adult, stating there is no evidence of danger at this time. The calls and texts, which began days after her disappearance, have raised concerns among her relatives about her safety and the possibility of foul play.
Goods was last seen leaving a friend’s apartment in Las Vegas around 12:45 p.m. on August 8, intending to take a bus to a nearby CVS Pharmacy to purchase iron pills. She never returned, prompting her family to file a missing person report. Her friend, Roger John, initially assumed Goods was out shopping, as she sometimes spent extended periods away, but grew alarmed when she did not return.
Family receives suspicious messages
Days after Goods vanished, her family began receiving text messages and calls from her phone, which they believe were sent by someone impersonating her. The messages claimed her card had stopped working and requested financial assistance, including Bitcoin transfers.
One text read: “Do you know how to send using the bitcoin on Cash App? That’s the only way I can get it out. I’ll send you the Bitcoin wallet.” When Goods’ niece, Alana Calloway, asked her aunt to call, the person texting claimed to be at a gas station and unable to speak. Calloway noted that her aunt does not drive, making the requests for gas money particularly suspicious.
Goods’ son also received a call from the same number. When he asked the caller to perform a video chat, the person responded, “My phone is bad,” before disconnecting when pressed for more details.
Police respond to the case
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has classified Goods as a missing adult and stated there is no indication she is in danger. A spokesperson, Aden Ocampo, suggested the Bitcoin requests and calls could be the result of “spoofing”—a tactic where scammers falsify caller IDs or phone numbers to appear as if they are contacting from a different device.
The family has provided police with recordings of the calls and screenshots of the texts for investigation. Authorities have not confirmed whether Goods’ phone is in the possession of another individual or if the messages originated from a different source.
Background on the missing woman
Goods, a grandmother of five, worked as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in New York. She was visiting Las Vegas to stay with a longtime friend, Roger John, and had no known ties to the city beyond her visit. Her family described her as a responsible individual who would not typically disappear without notice.
The case remains under investigation, with authorities urging anyone with information to come forward.