Scam Awareness

Once a fraudster gets access to your personal information, they can use it to access your finances, open credit card accounts in your name, and commit other acts with your info. Once you suspect you might be a target of ID theft, take immediate action to ensure the fraudster cannot continue to access your accounts.

You might receive an email or text message claiming there's a problem with your bank account or credit card. The message may appear to come from a company you do business with. They'll offer a link to click or a phone number to call in order to "fix" the issue. Once you engage, they will attempt to collect your personal information. Always verify directly with your bank or credit card provider before responding.

Check washing can be done easily with a chemical that allows the scammer to replace the PAY TO and the AMOUNT with whatever they want while retaining your authorization signature. They then use it to pay for merchandise and disappear with your money. Checks can also be intercepted along the pathway between you and the recipient.

This scam targets employees—often in the finance department—at small to medium-sized businesses. The attacker impersonates a high-level manager using a lookalike or compromised email account. The email may request the setup of a new vendor with provided banking details or ask to change the manager's direct deposit information. It plays on urgency and authority to push the recipient into acting quickly without verifying.

This scam targets people of all ages, especially those who are trusting and law-abiding. The scammer calls posing as a detective, captain, or officer from a local department such as the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and claims there's a warrant for your arrest. They say you can avoid arrest by paying a fine right away, often via gift cards or money cards. They may warn you not to tell anyone and use intimidation to keep you on the phone. Remember: law enforcement will never call to demand payment or ask for gift cards.

Scammers posing as law enforcement prey on fear and authority. The caller may claim your ID has been used in a drug trafficking operation and a federal attorney needs you to send money for safekeeping. They stay on the phone the entire time—coaching you to visit your bank, withdraw a large sum as a cashier's check, and lie to bank staff if questioned. They then direct you to FedEx to overnight it to a specific location and tell you not to tell anyone for 48 hours. This delay ensures they cash your check and vanish before you realize it's a scam.

Scammers are targeting families of inmates at the Jefferson County Detention Facility, calling to claim that a payment of $1,200 or more must be made before their loved one can be released on electronic monitoring, work release, or bond. The callers may sound official and use details about the inmate to seem credible. This is a scam. No one from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Pretrial Services, or any court will ever call you to demand money for an inmate's release. All legitimate release processes are handled through the court system and the detention facility directly.

Scammers pretend to be from the IRS, telling people they owe back taxes and must pay immediately to avoid legal trouble. They may call, text, or email, using fear tactics like threats of arrest or lawsuits. They'll ask you to pay using gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Some even spoof caller ID to make it look like the IRS is really calling. The truth is: the IRS will never call, text, or email to demand payment. If you owe taxes, they'll send you a letter in the mail.

This scam targets seniors by playing on their deep emotional connection to their grandchildren. It usually starts with a vague greeting, relying on the grandparent to fill in the missing information. Once the scammer has a name, they create an urgent story—claiming to be in jail, involved in an accident, or caught with drugs—and ask for money. They may say "Please don't tell my parents" and introduce a fake police officer to add pressure. They'll keep you on the phone while you go to the bank or store to wire money or purchase gift cards. Once the card code is given, the money is gone.

You see a pop-up on your screen warning that your computer has a virus, or you receive a call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft, Windows, or Apple. They say your computer is infected and offer to fix it—for a price. These are scams. Your computer isn't infected, and the goal is to scare you into paying and giving them access to your device.

Scammers send phishing emails disguised to look like they're from well-known companies. These messages may claim your account has been locked, thank you for a fake purchase, or offer a large sum of money in return for helping someone overseas. They often include links or attachments that install malware or steal your information. Logos and formatting may look real, but there are often red flags if you look closely—like poor grammar, unusual email addresses, or urgent threats.

This scam uses fear and embarrassment to extort money. The scammer claims to have access to your internet activity and contacts, threatening to post humiliating content unless you pay. They may mention a password—sometimes one you've used in the past—to make the threat seem real. The message usually demands payment in untraceable forms like Bitcoin or gift cards with a short deadline. These claims are false, and the goal is to intimidate you into paying.

These scam calls are designed to scare you into acting quickly. The message might claim your bank account has been used fraudulently, or that you owe money to the IRS or are facing legal trouble. The caller ID may look like a local number. When you answer, there may be silence at first, followed by a recorded message asking you to press a key or call a number back. These are scams meant to trick you into sharing personal information, making a payment, or confirming your phone number is active.

Scammers use stolen photos to create fake profiles and seek out people looking for companionship. They spend weeks or months in a "grooming" stage, mirroring back what they think you want to hear to build trust. Once they feel you are in a committed relationship, requests for money will come. If you stop paying, they may try guilt, anger, or even extortion with any photos you may have shared. Seniors are especially vulnerable as they have fixed incomes and face both the financial and emotional toll of this betrayal. These scammers are typically offshore and do not care about the impact on your life.

These scammers target people seeking romance on dating sites like Match or Zoosk, or social media platforms like Facebook. They create appealing profiles, sometimes with just one or two photos, and spend weeks or months chatting to build trust. The scammer typically claims to be in the military or traveling abroad, giving excuses to avoid meeting. Once emotionally invested, the victim is asked for money with promises of repayment. Many victims feel embarrassed to report the scam. These scammers are often located overseas.

Scammers offer to buy your item for more than you requested. They may pay through Venmo or Zelle, then claim limitations on your account, impersonating the payment service so you'll add funds to a fake account. Or they'll pay with a cashier's check for a higher amount and ask you to send the overage to someone else. Your bank may take up to a week to process and discover the check is bogus. If you've already paid the overage, that money is gone—plus the item if you gave it to the person picking it up.

When selling items online, scammers ask for your phone number and then send you a Google 6-digit verification code, claiming it's to confirm you are a real seller. They use your phone number and the code to set up a fake Google Voice account. This allows them to post fraudulent ads or scam others using your number, leaving you responsible for any trouble caused.

The caller claims to be from a cryptocurrency exchange and says they'll help you fix a compromised account by opening a new one. They want you to transfer all your crypto into this new "safe" account—which they control. Impersonators can spoof any business number and use the fear of losing your investment to pressure you into acting quickly.

Scrolling for a new furry family member can quickly turn into an expensive lesson. We've recently taken reports of pet scams on Facebook Marketplace. In one case, a page advertised "Beagle puppies for adoption." The seller claimed to be in Nashville, sent extra photos, and built enough trust for the victim to send $900 through a payment app. A few days later, someone posing as a "shipper" asked for more money for a better crate and insurance—the money was already gone. Just last week, a similar story involved "Siberian kittens": the victim paid over $2,000 for two kittens, then was hit with more payment demands. When they refused, the seller and the Marketplace page vanished. Real puppies and kittens don't come with plot twists and shipping invoices.