A Letter from Chief Ron Dziezgowski
CHIEF RON DZIEZGOWSKI est Jefferson Hills BOROUGH OF JEFFERSON HILLS NEWS
BEWARE OF FRAUD AND SCAMS
The purpose of this month’ s article is to raise further awareness of complex fraud schemes and scams carried out by criminal organizations, along with steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim. Although our community is a safe place, it is not immune to being targeted by criminals. Each of us must take proactive measures to deter such activity and protect ourselves from being victimized. Law enforcement is witnessing the following scams used by criminal organizations to steal money or personal information from victims.
GRANDPARENT SCAM
Older residents are targeted by scammers who contact them by phone, pretending to be their grandchild who has been arrested and needs bail money immediately. The scammer may also claim to be a law enforcement officer demanding bail money for their grandchild. In either scenario, the victim is placed under immediate pressure to act quickly and secretively to send money through wire transfers, money orders, or prepaid gift cards. Victims have lost tens of thousands of dollars to this scam because of their trusting nature, willingness to help a family member, and the pressure placed on them by the scammer. If you ever receive a similar call, do the following:
• Stay calm, do not share personal details and ask specific questions that only your loved ones would know. Remember, law enforcement will never demand money from you.
• Hang up, verify the story with your family and contact local law enforcement.
BITCOIN SCAM
Scammers are using artificial intelligence( AI) to trick victims into investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. Scammers target victims and convince them that their bank account was compromised. The scammer then instructs the victim to convert their money into cryptocurrency, falsely claiming it will be more secure and provide higher returns. Scammers direct victims to deposit large amounts of cash into local Bitcoin machines where they will receive a deposit slip to verify the transaction. However, the money is transferred into an account set up by the scammer, which is hard to trace and difficult to investigate or prosecute, especially if the victim delays reporting it to law enforcement. This scheme has cost some individuals their entire life savings. Never trust anyone over the phone to invest money and always consult with a vetted advisor or family member before making any investment decisions.
TEXT MESSAGES AND EMAIL PHISHING SCAMS
A scam that most of us receive daily involves fake text messages, better known as phishing texts, attempting to trick you into giving your personal information( e. g., a password, account number, Social Security Number, etc.). The text may promise free prizes, gift cards, or coupons, but these claims are completely false.
These types of phishing scams can also come through email, where the scammer sends an email that closely resembles a legitimate business or person in your contacts. However, when examined closely, the email does not have a legitimate domain or website address. Signs of a fake email are as follows:
• The email domain does not match the sender’ s information( i. e., if the email claims to be from Amazon but the email is from Amazonreturns @ delish. com, it is not legitimate and is most likely a scam, as Delish. com is a food website).
• Email has a very generic greeting or an obvious misspelling in the email.
• The email indicates your account is on hold, there are billing issues, and you are instructed to click on a link.
When in doubt, contact the business or bank directly. Never click on any suspicious links, do not share personal details, and do not allow any unverified source to connect remotely to your computer.
52 WEST JEFFERSON HILLS