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  Geebo 8:00 am on April 4, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: impersonation scam ( 148 ), parole scam ( 2 ), prison, Scams ( 1,386 )   

  New prison scam preys on vulnerable families 

  

  By Greg Collier

  A new scam has emerged, proving successful due to its narrow focus on families with loved ones in prison. Scammers, armed with an unsettling depth of private information, reach out to individuals with incarcerated family members, offering false promises of early release through a supposed pilot program. One victim’s harrowing experience sheds light on the devastating impact of this scam.

  The victim, whose step-daughter was serving a sentence for a hit-and-run, received a call from scammers claiming she qualified for an early release program. With intricate details about the program and a veneer of legitimacy, they coerced the victim into believing that his step-daughter’s release was imminent. The emotional rollercoaster the victim and his family endured, buoyed by false hope, underscores the cruelty of these scammers.

  The scam escalated when they demanded payment, preying on the desperation and vulnerability of families eager to reunite with their loved ones. Despite his initial suspicions, the victim paid the scammers, maxing out his Zelle transfer limit and even considering the absurd request for payment in Bitcoin.

  What makes this scam particularly sinister is the depth of information the scammers possess. From personal details to seemingly confidential information, they exploit every avenue, including public databases like inmate search sites, to enhance their credibility.

  The victim revealed that the scammers had access to his driver’s license number, obtained through legitimate channels like prison visitations and video call services, highlights the sophistication of their operation.

  As authorities scramble to address the growing prevalence of this scam, it’s evident that the impact extends far beyond financial loss. Families, already grappling with the challenges of having a loved one incarcerated, are further burdened by the emotional toll of falling victim to deceit. The betrayal of trust and shattered hopes leave scars that may never fully heal.

  The victim is currently providing care for his step-daughter’s daughter while the step-daughter serves her sentence. He faced the heartbreaking task of informing the little girl that her mother’s release was not imminent after falling prey to the scam.

  Authorities suspect that inmates within the prison system are orchestrating these scams. They are said to be specifically targeting those who are nearing release, possibly facilitated by contraband cell phones smuggled into prisons.

  Parole boards at the state level are issuing stern warnings, emphasizing that they will never solicit money from families via phone calls. They strongly advise families to verify the current parole status of their incarcerated family members before engaging in any financial transactions or taking action in response to unsolicited communications.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on September 20, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: advance fee scam ( 45 ), cash flipping ( 8 ), cryptocurrency ( 52 ), identity theft ( 108 ), inmate scam ( 4 ), lawsuit ( 47 ), money-flipping ( 4 ), prison, Scams ( 1,386 ), social media ( 81 ), TikTok ( 10 ), veterans ( 8 )   

  Scam Round Up: New scam targets veterans and more 

  

  By Greg Collier

  This week in the Round Up, we’re bringing you three scams that might not be affecting you now, but you should be aware of.

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  Our first scam has to be more than distressing to its victims. Scammers are targeting the families of inmates who are incarcerated in a county jail in Alabama. The scammers are posing as jail employees, telling the families that their family member has died in custody, when it isn’t true.

  From what we’ve researched, this is not a common scam, but has happened before. However, we couldn’t find any information on what the scam is hoping to achieve, since the scammers have not asked for any kind of payment. If we had to hazard a guess, we’d say this might be some kind of identity theft ploy.

  According to the local sheriff’s department, if an inmate were to die in custody, the family would be informed by the coroner’s office. If you have a family member who is incarcerated, you may want to find out what the procedure is for that jurisdiction.

  Sadly, this is not the only scam the family’s of inmates have to worry about. They are often targeted by scammers who promise their family member better privileges or an early release. These scams often ask for money. Someone receiving these offers should always check with the institution first to see if these programs are actually available, and should never give anyone their personal information over the phone.

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  It always seems like social media has a never-ending stream of scams to deal with. It also seems that the short-form video platform TikTok is no exception. Lately, they’ve been dealing with a string of videos where scammers claim they can help you make a profit investing in cryptocurrency.

  The videos usually have someone flaunting stacks of cash or other signs of wealth while promising to make the viewer money. However, this is just a variation of the money flipping scam that has plagued Instagram. The scammers will promise they can get viewers thousands of dollars if they just send the scammer a few hundred.

  The scammers end up keeping the money sent to them and often ask victims for more money using promises of returning even more profit to the victim.

  Cryptocurrency on its own is already flush with scammers. Unless you know the cryptocurrency market intimately and can afford to lose an investment, you shouldn’t let other people invest in it for you, especially people you don’t know personally.

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  Recently, an act was passed into law that allows U.S. veterans and their family to sue the government if they were exposed to toxic burn pits at military bases. The Better Business Bureau is reporting that scammers are using this new law to their advantage by promising veterans and their families they can sue the government for them. Once they get the veteran’s money and information, the scammers disappear.

  Another scam targeting veterans is one where the scammers are posing as Veterans Affairs. Again, the scammers are after the veteran’s personal information for identity theft purposes.

  The VA recommends that if you received unsolicited communication from someone claiming to be from the VA, you should contact the VA through their website. You can also find if you’re eligible under the new law here.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on April 21, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: counterfeit money ( 9 ), missing person ( 8 ), police impersonation scam ( 65 ), prison, Scams ( 1,386 )   

  Why are scammers asking if you’ve seen a missing person? 

  

  By Greg Collier

  In a follow-up to yesterday’s post about police impersonation, we found three more police impersonation scams in less than 24 hours. These scams have become so prevalent that the scammers have started changing their game in order to find new victims.

  Our first scam comes to us from Georgetown, Kentucky, where scammers are posing as investigators with the local police department. While spoofing the number of the police department, the scammers are asking victims if they’ve been in contact with a missing person. The victim is then told that their phone number is the last one the missing person contacted. The next step of the scam is kind of unclear, but the police are saying the scammers are asking the victims for $1500 that is supposed to help the family of the missing person. Typically, in these scams, the scammers demand money under the threat of arrest. It’s unknown if that tactic is being used here. In any event, Georgetown Police are asking residents to contact them if they receive a call like this.

  Scammers in Southwestern Virginia are taking advantage of families who are already down on their luck and have a family member who is incarcerated. These families are receiving calls from someone posing as a sergeant from the regional jail where the victim’s family member is being held. The scammer is offering to have the incarcerated family member moved to a home confinement program for $500 to $600. In this instance, the scammer is said to be accepting money through a payment app, although the specific app has not been made known. Please keep in mind that law enforcement and government agencies do not ask for payments through apps like Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, etc.

  Lastly, police in Vermont are warning retail business owners about a scam that’s been targeting them lately. In this scam, the scammers pose as police, again using a spoofed phone number. The scammers then tell one of the business’ employees that the owner has filed a police report claiming that the money in the cash register has been switched with counterfeit bills. The employee is then instructed to collect the money and bring it to the back door of the business. There’s no word on if anyone has fallen victim to this scam. For the victims’ sake, we hope not, as an in-person scam like this could put a victim in extreme danger.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 2, 2021 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: prison, romance scam ( 71 ), Scams ( 1,386 ), virginia beach   

  Romance scam victim sent to jail 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Whenever we discuss romance scams, we always take care to mention that anybody from any socioeconomic status can fall prey to this scam. We also say that some people fall so deep into the scam that they end up stealing the money that their scammer continues to ask for. Unfortunately, today’s story is one of those stories.

  For context, a romance scam is when a scammer approaches a victim online and initiates what appears to be a romantic relationship. The scammer usually claims they have some job that keeps them from meeting face to face. Typically, that’s usually a member of the military who is stationed overseas, an oil rig worker, or a businessman working outside the country. The scammers will usually use pictures of people that they’ve stolen from the internet. They might even use the names of real people. The fake romance will be kept going for a while before the scammer starts asking for money. This will be under the guise of some kind of emergency or to urgently complete some kind of business deal. We’re talking anywhere from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars if the scammer finds the right victim. Too many people let their hearts get in the way and end up going bankrupt sending money to these scammers. For one victim, it’s going to cost her 18 months in jail.

  The 58-year-old woman, from Virginia Beach, thought she had met a chemical engineer named Leo who was working overseas. Leo allegedly claimed that he needed money to rescue him from foreign authorities. At first, he asked for $460,000. It wasn’t too much long after that he asked for another $220,000. The victim didn’t have this kind of money, but worked for an escrow and title company. She ended up taking the money from her company to give to the scammer. After realizing she had been scammed, the victim turned herself in and has now been sentenced to 18-months in federal prison. Meanwhile, the scammer was never apprehended.

  This isn’t the first instance we’ve heard of where a victim of a romance scam went to jail for misappropriation of funds. It probably won’t be the last, either. There’s nothing wrong with meeting someone online and starting a relationship, if you take the right precautions. When they send you a picture, do a reverse image search to make sure they are who they say they are. If they make excuses as to why they can never meet in person, there’s a good chance they’re trying to scam you. Lastly, never send money to someone you never met in real life, no matter how charming they may be.