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Some Coffee County citizens have fallen prey to several scams. In an effort to protect, we offer the following for your consideration:
The Nigerian Advance Fee Scheme
A group of international scam artists claim to have “frozen” assets that can be moved into YOUR bank account. After the initial contact, they want you to send them money to help with bribing government officials, paying transfer fees, and filing legal motions. This scam is complex. A victim will receive mail, email, and telephone calls from different people who are all involved in the scam. Some of the correspondence looks official, but it is all a lie. Eventually the victim will be lured to Africa for a final meeting, and they will be killed or held hostage for ransom. If you know anyone in Coffee County who is falling for this scam, please contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office immediately. Victims lose between $30,000 to $50,000 dollars, and sometimes their life.
The Canadian Lottery
International scam artists advise a victim that they have won the lottery! The victim receives an official looking cashier check and are advised to cash the check and then send the funds to them through Western Union. The check is a forgery and it takes up to one month to be returned to your bank. Because you endorsed the check, YOU will be responsible for paying this money back to your bank! Victims lose between $2,000 to $10,000 dollars.
Secret Shopper
Victims answer advertisements in the want-ad section of newspapers for “secret shoppers, work at home employment, and trained executive positions.” The victim is required to cash a forged cashier check, send the fees through Western Union, and wait for further instructions. Victims lose between $800 to $5,000 dollars.
Second Chance Auctions
Scam artists monitor high dollar online auctions that have recently been completed, send a direct offer to people who bid on the item, and claim that the auction fell through and they want to sell the item direct. The victim is sent an email that looks like it has come from the auction company. The victim is advised to send the funds through Western Union. Victims lose whatever they send.
Phishing
Identity thieves send thousands of e-mail messages that appear to have come from major online companies. They ask for personal information to be sent so that the “corrupt databases” can be repaired, or to protect you from fraud attempts. When you send them the information, your identity will stolen, and YOU will suffer for years while getting everything fixed. You must act fast to minimize the damage! If you or someone that you know has fallen prey, please contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office immediately!
Please read our Crime Prevention page!
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