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Alerts are courtesy of the Denver District Attorney's Office Mitch Morrissey Denver District Attorney Director of Consumer Services: 720-913-9178 Denver DA's Fraud Hot Line: 720-913-9179 dxs@denverda.org Shred-a-thon on May 10 This Tip May Cost You Hang Up on Phone Fraud Reducing Charity Junk Mail Pets, Romance, and Adoption Information from the FBI 2007 Internet Crime Report reveals the top internet scams in 2007. Here is how they work: Pet Scams: Consumers see an ad selling an adorable pet; they mail a check, or provide a credit card number, plus a little extra for delivery. Unfortunately, the fraudster gets your money and you don’t get the pet. Funds Transfer Scams: If you are legitimately selling an animal or renting property, you may receive a check that is more than the agreed upon sale price. When you ask the buyer, he apologizes and asks if you can just deposit the check and send him the balance. Adoption and Charity Scams: A spam email makes an urgent plea for a donation to a charity – perhaps even using the name of a legitimate charity. Unfortunately, your donation goes to a fraudster. Romance Scams: You strike up a romance with someone you meet in an online dating or social networking site who lives in another country. Your new romance is anxious to meet you but needs money to cover travel expenses. Unfortunately, this may be just the beginning – typically the person ostensibly, ends up with an emergency hospital bill or being mugged which leads to a plea for more financial help. To report an internet scam: Log on to www.ic3.gov and file a complaint. Furnace Fraud Heats Up It's the time of year for furnace fraud, and the District Attorney's Office has received several complaints from elderly victims. Contractors solicited the victims by phone for annual furnace inspection services. Without checking on the reliability of the contractors, victims invited them into their homes. During the inspections, the contractors said that an expensive part-or the entire furnace-needed to be replaced. After paying the contractors, victims discovered that the repairs were not needed, but are now having trouble getting their money back. Another tactic is for gas company or heating contractor imposters to appear at your door soliciting furnace inspection services. Their sole purpose is to come into your home to steal purses, checkbooks, jewelry and other valuables. To protect yourself from furnace fraud:
Beware Door to Door Con Games Door to door con artists travel in groups in pickup trucks, vans, or on foot during daylight hours. Frequently, they observe their victims prior to the actual encounter. Once they locate a victim, the con artists devise a plan and return. Con artists will strike when an opportunity arises. If they see a potential victim working in the front yard,they will enter the unlocked back door to commit a burglary. Types of Con Games "Utility Inspector" - These con artists impersonate employees of Public Service Company, the Water Department, US West (Quest), or other utilities. They gain entry to the victim's home by claiming to be working on a utility pole, gas line, or other problem in the neighborhood. Other con artists claim they need to check the furnace or water heater in the home, because they suspect the victim may have been overbilled for services. Once inside, they distract the victim while accomplices search for money, jewelry, and other valuables. "Home Improvement/Repair Frauds" - Itinerant workers known as "Travelers" offer bargain prices for home repairs. They typically claim to have done work in the past for the victim, or to have just finished a job and have leftover materials. After quoting a low price, Travelers intimidate their victims into paying much more after the work is completed. Common traveler frauds include roofing, asphalt paving, tree trimming, and painting. "Neighbor Assistance Con" - Going door to door, this con artist convinces victims that a neighbor has an emergency and needs money. The needed funds may be for an emergency room fee, for gasoline, towing, etc. "The Family Con" - A man, woman, and children appear at the victim's door and plead to use the victim's phone. They claim to have an emergency and must call for help. Or they may ask for a drink of water. Once inside, one offender distracts the victim, while another searches the house for valuables. "Pidgeon Drop" - One perpetrator approaches two supposed strangers and claims to have found a large sum of money. The victim believes the offender does not know either of them, but the other "stranger" is an accomplice. The con artist offers to share the windfall if convinced of the two strangers goodwill. He asks each to contribute "earnest" money, which is placed in an envelope or handkerchief. The con artist switches the envelope with one containing cut-up paper. "Bank Examiner" - A con artist pretends to be a bank examiner and calls the victim. He explains that a bank employee is suspected of altering withdrawal slips, and solicits the victim's help in trapping the "guilty" employee. The con artist convinces the victim to make a large withdrawal from his or her bank account to trap the bank employee. Instead, the offender takes the victim's money and disappears. Foreign Lotteries Are Illegal ..... They Want to Take Your Money 1. Helping you understand what characteristics older adults share that make them
vulnerable to fraud. |
