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  • Geebo 8:00 am on March 17, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , U.S. Marshals   

    Police impersonators threaten to take your children 

    By Greg Collier

    Before we get started with today’s story, we wanted to bring you an article about the ongoing Zelle scam, which you can read here. The Zelle scam is so prolific that we just wanted to remind our readers about it.

    However, our main story for the day is about police impersonation scams. This is when scammers call their victims posing as a law enforcement agency. The scammers will pose as anyone from your local police department all the way up to the FBI. These scams often have different tactics the scammers can use, but they typically have the same purpose. The scammers will threaten you with arrest over some infraction that you didn’t commit, so they can extort a payment out of you.

    When scammers pose as local police, they may tell you that you missed jury duty, or you have a warrant out for your arrest. They’ll then tell you the matter can be cleared up with a payment done over the phone. On the federal level, we’ve seen scammers pose as the FBI, Homeland Security, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In these cases, the scammers will say you’re connected with a much more serious crime, such as drug trafficking or money laundering. Again, the scammers will threaten you with arrest if a payment isn’t made at that moment.

    More recently, The U.S. Marshals have issued a warning that says scammers are posing as marshals and pulling the same impersonation scam. This time, however, the scammers are turning up the heat on their victims. The scammers are now threatening their victims not only with arrest by the U.S. Marshals, but also threatening them with losing their job and losing custody of their children. This is a scare tactic designed to keep the victim unnerved and on the phone.

    Thankfully, this scam has an easy solution. Just hang up. No legitimate law enforcement agency in the United States will ever ask for money over the phone. Neither will they call you to threaten you with arrest.

    Another way you can tell it’s a scam is if the caller asks you for payment in ways such as gift cards, pre-paid debit cards, money transfers, cryptocurrencies, or payment apps. These methods of payment are virtually untraceable and almost impossible to recover.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on March 16, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , Spring Break, ,   

    Spring break is the season of kidnapping scams 

    By Greg Collier

    It’s getting to be that time of year when college students from around the country descend on locales with warmer climates. Of course, I’m talking about Spring Break. While the US has many beach hotspots students can enjoy, many will choose to go outside the country to try to maximize their Spring Break experience. Whether it’s the Caribbean, Central America, or overseas, Spring Breakers should be relatively safe as long as they don’t stray from the tourist areas. However, scammers are hoping that the parents of Spring Breakers are not so sure about the safety of their college-aged children.

    The FBI is advising they see an increase in the virtual kidnapping scam during Spring Break since so many students are traversing in and out of the country. As you may have heard, in the virtual kidnapping scam, scammers will have claimed to have kidnapped a loved one and will demand a ransom. Meanwhile, your loved one is actually safe and has no idea their well-being is being used in a scam. The reason we’re focusing this time on students traveling outside the country is because kidnappings for ransom are quite rare in the United States. That doesn’t mean the scam doesn’t take place in the US. You can read more about those here.

    The FBI is saying that during Spring Break, these scammers will claim to be from a drug cartel or corrupt police department. The scammers will then demand a ransom in some untraceable form, such as gift cards or money transfer. There might even be someone in the background of the phone call screaming, pretending to be the supposed kidnap victim. The scammers will also try to keep you on the phone, so you don’t have a chance to try to contact your loved one. However, that’s precisely what you should do. Try to contact your loved one on another device as quickly as possible. Keep the scammers on the phone by repeating their orders, and tell them you’re writing their instructions down. Don’t volunteer any information to the callers, they can use that against you during the call. In numerous instances, the scammers will use information they’ve taken from social media to make it seem like they have your loved one held hostage.

    The best way to avoid falling victim to this scam is to set up a code word of sorts between you and your kids, who are traveling for Spring Break. This way, you should be able to immediately identify if your children are in actual danger.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on March 15, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , gangs, ,   

    Are gangs showing up at your grandparents’ home? 

    Are gangs showing up at your grandparents' home?

    By Greg Collier

    The grandparent scam has been going on all over the country for a while now. The scam itself has evolved so many times, it seems like it’s taken on a life of its own. The latest evolution of the scam will probably cause even more concern than its past iterations.

    The grandparent scam is named that way because it largely targets the elderly, and the scammers pose as the victim’s grandchild. The bogus grandchild will claim they’re in jail or some other kind of legal trouble and need money, such as bail or legal fees. These scams typically cost their victims thousands of dollars.

    When these scams first started, everything was done over the phone. The scammers would have their victims send money either through gift cards, money transfers, or even cash in the mail. However, as more people became aware of the scam, the scammers started changing their tactics. Instead of trying to get payment over the phone, the scammers would send unwitting Uber drivers to collect cash from the victims. Then the scammers started getting more brazen and would show up at their victims’ homes themselves, posing as couriers.

    If these situations weren’t alarming enough, a report out of the Pacific Northwest states that it’s not just overseas scammers that are getting in on stealing from the elderly. According to the AARP, they’ve started seeing instances of street gangs engaging in the grandparent scam. It’s believed that if caught, gang members will serve less jail time for the grandparent scam than they would if they were committing more violent and illicit crimes associated with gangs. This is potentially disheartening because most scammers will try to get as much out of their victims as possible. With gangs, this could lead to robberies or home invasions.

    The best prevention for avoiding this scam is to be forewarned. If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a loved one who’s been arrested, hang up and verify their actual location. If you can’t reach them, contact someone in your family who would know where they are. Often in these scams, the scammer will try to get the victim not to tell anyone else, but that never helps anyone. Also, try not to give out any personal information while on the phone with potential scammers. For example, if the callers says ‘Grandma?’, don’t use any of your grandchildren’s names in response.

    As always, we ask that if you have an elderly relative or neighbor who may be vulnerable to this scam, we ask that you share this post or the article we linked to about this scam.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on March 14, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , gray market, ,   

    Are scammers selling tainted baby formula? 

    Are scammers selling tainted baby formula?

    By Greg Collier

    It will come as no shock to some parents of newborn babies that baby formula is expensive. Some experts believe it’s artificially expensive, but that’s a story for another day. Anyway, to make matters worse, there was a major recall of baby formula launched last month. Some well established brands were found to be contaminated with salmonella. You can get more specific details about the recall at the USDA’s website. Combined with already existing supply chain issues, the recall has helped create a baby formula shortage. As has become the norm, whenever there’s a crisis, scammers will try to take advantage of it. The recall is no different, but it could lead to disastrous effects to their victims.

    Much of the country’s baby formula is distributed through state WIC programs. The program, is designed to help low-income families whose young children may be at nutritional risk. This can include the distribution of baby formula for families who request it. Unfortunately, WIC programs have distributed some of the recalled formula. This is where the scammers come in.

    According to the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, scammers are going door to door posing as WIC employees. They’re asking for the recalled formula so they can return the formula and get a refund for the recipient. Reports say the scammers are returning the formula and pocketing the refund for themselves. However, there could also be a much more dangerous fallout to this scam.

    Baby formula is a popular item to sell in online gray markets. In some cases, people who are on WIC will get the formula even if they don’t need it and will sell it at a discount. These recent scammers may not want to wait for a refund from the government and will instead try to sell the formula online. Families who don’t qualify for WIC but still need formula may buy the tainted formula online without knowing its risks.

    If you find that you have some of the recalled formula, there are avenues you can pursue to get a refund. You can return it to where it was purchased, return it to WIC, or go to the manufacturer’s website for further instructions. However, you should be aware that WIC is not going door to door to collect the formula. If someone comes to your door claiming to be from any governmental agency, ask to see their identification and call the agency they’re supposed to represent to see whether they are legitimate or not.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on March 11, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , identity protection PIN, , , , , , ,   

    Scam Round Up: Protect yourself from tax scammers and more 

    By Greg Collier

    This week on the Scam Round Up, we’re bringing our readers a great tip, a new scam, and a reminder of an old scam.

    ***

    One of the more prevalent tax related scams over the past few years has been scammers filing a tax return in your name, so they can claim your refund check. Previously, we’ve recommended filing your tax return as early as possible to beat the scammers, but that isn’t always possible. However, there is another way to prevent fraudulent returns being filed in your name. The IRS has an option where you can get an identity protection PIN. This is a six-digit number that only you and the IRS know. If this number is not included on your tax return, it will not be processed by the IRS. If you’d like to know more about the identity protection PIN or apply for one, you can find more information at the IRS website.

    ***

    A Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina has recently uncovered a scam that could be affecting people nationwide. According to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, scammers are stealing money from bank accounts where the account holder may not notice the missing money. They give estate accounts as an example. The scammers will then send a check to an unsuspecting victim asking them to deposit the check, keep a portion of it, and wire the rest overseas. The Sheriff’s Office found a man who was just getting ready to wire close to $200,000 overseas. If you have an account like an estate account, you may want to check on it periodically to make sure there are no fraudulent transactions. Also, no matter how good the promise of money may be, never deposit a check from a stranger then wire the money somewhere else. Not only could this be a fraudulent check, but you could also potentially get in legal trouble for helping to facilitate the scam.

    ***

    Lastly for today, the Border Patrol scam is making headlines again. This is where scammers will pose as agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Victims will receive a phone call that says Border Agents intercepted a box full of drugs and money that was supposedly being shipped to the victim. Other times, the scammers will say that a car rented in the victim’s name was found with drugs in it near the Southern Border. In either case, the scammers will threaten the victim with arrest if they don’t pay a fine. As with most modern scams, the scammers will ask for payment in non-traditional means like cryptocurrency or gift cards. Always keep in mind, no law enforcement agency will ever ask for money over the phone or threaten someone with arrest over the phone.

    ***

    We hope you found this post informative, as nobody should ever have to endure the damaging schemes of scammers.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on March 10, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Ethereum, ,   

    Cryptocurrency scams are riskier than ever 

    Cryptocurrency scams are riskier than ever

    By Greg Collier

    Even though it’s risen in popularity within the past few years, cryptocurrency has actually been around for over a decade. The first and most well-known cryptocurrency is Bitcoin, which was first made public in 2009. Others such as Ethereum have also risen to prominence in that time. These are virtual currencies which have no centralized regulatory body. Cryptocurrencies are started with a built-in scarcity in mind, meaning there can only ever be a limited number of ‘coins’. The way these coins are mined is by computers solving complex mathematical equations. While someone can technically mine for cryptocurrency on their laptop, professional miners use large banks of computers with above-average processing power.

    While the idea of cryptocurrency may seem sound on paper, due to its virtual nature, it’s susceptible to all sorts of scams. It seems like on an almost weekly basis, there are tabloid-like headlines recounting hacks, heists, and schemes that have cost crypto investors millions. But we’re here to discuss the average consumer who have also been affected by cryptocurrency scams.

    The Better Business Bureau recently issued a report that said cryptocurrency scams were the 2nd riskiest scam for Americans in 2021. In 2020, cryptocurrency scams were only the 7th riskiest according to the BBB. The average consumer/investor typically does not have the time or the computing power to start mining. Instead, they’ll try to purchase cryptocurrency from someone else. These are usually done on marketplaces called exchanges. There are many legitimate exchanges, but there are also a number of fraudulent ones.

    The most common cryptocurrency investment scam involves these fraudulent exchanges. An investor will be promised a guaranteed return on their investment. Except, when the investor tries to cash out, they’ll be told by the exchange that the investor needs to pay a tax or security fee to the exchange. This is often an exorbitant amount that makes the investment not worth it. 66% of people targeted in this scam have lost money.

    Like with traditional investments, you should always do your research before committing any money to cryptocurrency. Don’t take any cryptocurrency advice from people you meet online, as they’re often part of the scam. Even friends who message you about investing in cryptocurrency could have had their social media accounts hacked. And the most important advice for any investment is never invest money that you can’t afford to lose.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on March 9, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , Rochester,   

    Used iPhone scam targets online buyers 

    Used iPhone scam targets online buyers

    By Greg Collier

    Whenever someone tries to buy a used high-end phone online, like an iPhone, there’s always a risk of being scammed. The most common scam is they’re trying to sell you a stolen phone. If a phone is reported stolen, the buyer wouldn’t be able to activate the phone on their network, or any network for that matter. Depending on what platform a buyer uses, they could also end up with a counterfeit iPhone that’s not an iPhone at all. However, a new scam has the buyer show up at the exchange before the scam even takes place.

    A couple in Rochester, Minnesota, recently found themselves out of almost $400 after attempting to buy an iPhone 13 through Facebook Marketplace. They met in public, and the couple gave the seller $375 for the iPhone. That’s when the phone started to ring. The seller’s mother was supposedly the caller and told the seller that she left her personal information on the phone and needed to delete it. The seller told the couple he was going to his home and that he’d be right back. The seller never returned. The Rochester Police have said that this has been an ongoing scam in their area.

    When using an unmoderated platform like Facebook Marketplace, assume everything is a scam. This is especially true when you find a better than average deal. As always, we recommend to our readers that if you’re meeting in public to make an exchange, meet the other party at your local police department. While it’s not a guarantee that you won’t be scammed, it will go a long way in discouraging scammers from meeting with you. We also recommend never getting into the other party’s vehicle or going to a private residence for the meet up, as this can put you in great danger.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on March 8, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , music student, musician, ,   

    Even musicians fall victim to the fake check scam 

    By Greg Collier

    More so than most people, musicians have a keen eye for scammers when it comes to getting paid. If you’ve ever known a professional or semi-professional musician, you’ve probably heard stories about how they’ve been ripped off by promoters and venue owners, just to name a few. Musicians are often either not paid the amount they were promised, or they have to constantly follow up with whoever owes them money. This is where the term ‘starving musician’ typically comes from. Now, they have yet another payment scam to worry about, and it’s one of the most common scams around today.

    The United States Postal Inspection Service is issuing a warning about the fake check scam, or the overpayment scam, as it’s also known. They’ve highlighted the story of a music student who’s also a gig musician from a university in Indiana. The pianist received an email from her professor that said someone had requested the pianist to play their wedding.

    The pianist contacted the woman who had requested her services, and they agreed on a $200 fee. The pianist received a check for $1900. When the pianist brought this to the attention of the supposed bride, the bride made the excuse of she had accidentally combined the payment of the florist along with that of the pianist. The pianist was then told to deposit the check and send the overage back to the bride at a PayPal address. A few days later, the pianist’s bank discovered the check was fraudulent, and now the musician was out $1700.

    As always, if someone sends you a check for more than the amount you’re asking for, the odds are they’re attempting to scam you. If you deposit the check and then return the overage, you will be held responsible by your bank for the full amount of the check and any associated penalties. However, this story is a great example of how scammers will set out to steal money from just about anyone.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on March 7, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , car auction, online auction, ,   

    Avoid online vehicle auction scams 

    Avoid auction scams

    By Greg Collier

    Before we get started with today’s topic, I wanted to bring you this article from the New York Times about the ongoing Zelle scams. The article is a good overview about the Zelle scams that we’ve discussed in the past. If you’d like to see stories about the Zelle scam that go into further detail, you can read are posts about it here.

    ***

    When you think of online auction sites, you almost assuredly think about eBay. The platform has been an internet stalwart for over 25 years. While eBay has its own issues with scammers, today we’re going to discuss online auctions that are less than reputable. Many of these auctions are for various types of vehicles, from cars to boats to RVs. Others will offer high-priced or hard to get electronic items. However, many of these auctions are just after your money and your information.

    For example, you may see an ad on social media for an online car auctions that claims to be associated with a government agency. Very often, these phony auctions claim to represent a county sheriff’s office or possibly a state police barracks. Some will even claim to be run by a federal investigative agency. While some of these agencies do often hold seized car auctions, they don’t happen as often as the ad listings would have you believe.

    The scam will set out to rip you off in two ways. The first is, the scammers will ask you for a copy of your driver’s license as part of the registration process. The scammers may even claim they need your license to discourage false bids. The next part of the scam is to take your money. No matter what vehicle you bid on, you’ll receive a message that your bid won. More than likely, you’ll be asked to pay the auctioneer through the usual scammer means, like a cashier’s check or money transfer. Once the scammers get your money, they disappear, and now you’re out of hundreds or thousands of dollars and the car never even existed.

    The best way to avoid this scam is to do your research on the auction before giving your information or committing to any bids. If the auction claims to be a government auction, contact that agency to make sure the auction is legitimate. In other cases, research the auction’s history first. You can do a web search with the name of the auction company along with words like review, scam, or complaint. Lastly, if the auction wants bidders to pay in unusual means, like those mentioned above and others like cryptocurrency, walk away.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on March 4, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , ,   

    Scam Round Up: QR Codes, Good Samaritan scam, and more 

    Scam Round Up: QR Codes, Good Samaritan scam, and more

    By Greg Collier

    Once again, we’re bringing you a trio of scams we’ve discussed before, but now have a slight new angle to them.

    ***

    The last time we mentioned QR codes, they were being used in a parking scam in Texas. Now, the Attorney General of North Carolina is warning about QR code scams in the Tarheel State. Many businesses are using QR codes for customers to scan to see things like menus on the customer’s phone. This helps cut down on potentially coming in contact with COVID-19. The NC Attorney general is saying scammers are replacing QR codes used by businesses with stickers of the scammer’s QR code. These scam codes can take you to malicious websites that will either ask you for personal information or inject spyware on to your device which could compromise any of your online accounts. Before scanning a QR code in public, make sure the code has not been tampered with and do not download any software the QR code may instruct you to do.

    ***

    Speaking of North Carolina, for our next story we go to Charlotte where a man was scammed out of $4000 for just trying to be a good person. The man lent his phone to another man who said he needed to use the phone for an emergency. The other man made a call then said he needed to text his sister since the connection was bad. What the other man was really doing was accessing the man’s Venmo app and sending $4000 to himself. The victim didn’t realize his money was gone until two days later. If you use any payment app like Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal, among others, there are security measures you can enable to prevent this from happen. You can enable a PIN to keep strangers out of these apps if they happen to access your phone. You can also use a fingerprint lock for devices that are equipped with a fingerprint scanner. It might be a slight inconvenience, but it will help keep thieves out of your financial accounts. And as an additional precaution, you really shouldn’t keep thousands of dollars in apps like Venmo.

    ***

    If you’re in college or even went to college, you may have imbibed in illicit indulgences. Even though it’s legal in many places now, if you engaged in that activity, running into campus police was always one of your biggest fears. In New Mexico, the substance in question is legal, if you’re older than 21. In college, age restrictions usually don’t stop those who are under the legal age limit from partaking. Now, scammers are looking to take advantage of that fear. They’re posing as the New Mexico State University Campus Police and threatening their victims by telling them that the victim is being investigated for a narcotic crime. The scammers are threatening students with arrest if they don’t comply with giving the scammer their personal information. Like any other police impersonation scam, real police will not threaten someone with arrest over the phone. If you receive one of these calls, it is recommended you hang up and call the actual police at the non-emergency number.

    ***

    As we like to tell our readers, even though these scams are not currently happening in your area, now you’re prepared if they do.

     

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