Alert

Scammers find their targets through many sources, though the following avenues are most common, according to the American Bankers Association.Purchasing contact information: scammers can easily purchase survey responses, buy email contact lists, magazine subscription lists and organization membership lists. Using that information, they are able to setup robo-calls, send mass mailings or create email blasts to attract response. Prowling online and social media sites: the advantage of prowling online and social media sites is that many people reveal a great deal of information about their lives which, gives a potential scammer valuable touch points. Scammers then reach out to individuals […]

An increasing number of consumers are being targeted in new and sophisticated scams involving online dating. In such instances, unsuspecting victims are being forced into sending money- sometimes thousands of dollars – to criminals through PayPal or other well-known online payment services. In our area, there have been reports of victims having long-term conversations with a person they believe to be an adult. After weeks, or even months of conversations, photos are exchanged and the victim is sent a photo of someone who is clearly a child or teen. Most victims immediately end online conversation at this time, but then […]

There has been an increase in fraud involving social media, such as Facebook, in our local area. After a victim is friended by a scammer, the scammer goes out of his/her way to establish a friendship that the victim deems as legitimate. A lot of times, the scammer will take advantage of the good-naturedness of the targeted person, spinning tales that always involve requests for money. From there, the targeted individual, who believes he/she is helping out a new friend, is asked to wire funds or withdraw money. Many times, the scammer will go as far as to coach the […]