Holiday phone and electronic scams (email, website, social media, etc.) are increasing.
If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a member of a local government and is requesting payment via gift cards, phone cards, and/or cryptocurrency (i.e., Bitcoin), call your local
authority to verify the information being presented to you.
Government agencies, financial institutions, and service providers will never request payments in the form of gift cards, phone cards, and/or cryptocurrency (i.e., Bitcoin).
Examples of current scams :
1. Sheriff’s Departments calling about fictitious warrants, requesting payment in place of arrest.
2. Registered sex offenders being targeted to pay for non-compliance status.
3. Romantic online scams where victims are blackmailed into sending funds instead of private picture exposure.
4. Financial scams in which victims are deceived into sending funds to fraudulent investments.
5. Bank representatives or IT service technicians calling about fraudulent usage of accounts, requesting funds to be moved or cashed into Bitcoin accounts.
6. Lottery scams in which initial fees are required to collect large sums of money.