Raise your hand if you’ve received a text claiming there’s suspicious activity in your bank account or you haven’t paid a toll. If it seems fishy, you’re likely correct. Such scams are becoming more common, and law enforcement authorities are sending warning signals.
“Ultimately, all scams — and there are hundreds if not thousands — are all leading down the same path of getting money or your personal information,” says Sgt. Nathan VanCleave of the Evansville Police Department.
VanCleave says he’s heard many recent reports of texts purportedly coming from banks. “Somehow, the bad guys have obtained information about where you bank,” he explains. “As soon as you respond to that, you’re on the hook for communicating with them, and they’ll ask you to click a link. You’ll talk with them and think you’re talking to your bank.”
Scammers then ask for account numbers and card numbers, trying to get your actual bank to send an authentication code to your phone. VanCleave advises ignoring such communications, not clicking any links sent, and taking any questions to an actual bank representative.
The unpaid toll scam also is getting more popular, and VanCleave says it might be more believable if you’ve traveled recently. “If they send it to thousands of people and only get a few recipients (to fall for it), it’s still lucrative,” he explains. It’s a smaller version of a warrant scam, claiming someone has an unpaid ticket or a more serious legal concern, and paying a sum of money can get the authorities off your back.
It helps to remember that “you can never pay to not be arrested,” VanCleave says, adding that yet another falsehood attached to such scams is “that your name or ID is connected to child pornography, and they need to secure your money so that it’s not being used for that.” Don’t fall for it, he warns.
Other swindles to watch for:
- Tech scams: These are meant to create senses of urgency, especially for older individuals. They often involve pop-up messages claiming phones or computers require the purchase of anti-virus software. The best way to combat this is with a reputable pop-up blocker, VanCleave says.
- Winnings scams: Scams may suggest lottery winnings, “a wonderful investment opportunity,” or “a large sum of money is supposed to be coming your way, but you need to pay fees or make initial investment to have winnings released,” VanCleave says. “(The scammer will say) if you pay $10,000 now, (they) can shield you from those taxes. … They come up with all these excuses why there’s money you have to keep pumping in.”
- So-called romance scams: These “have been around forever,” VanCleave says, but he adds that they have evolved with dating apps and other technologies. Once a conversation or connection is forged, a phony entity begins asking for money.
VanCleave says Bitcoin ATMs have swindled “about $11,000 per victim” in Evansville over the past year, “and we hear about them almost weekly.” Tied to any of the above scenarios, scammers warn victims about legal trouble, hacked bank accounts, or debts, and encourage them to address those situations with cryptocurrency. “Once you put that money in there, it’s basically gone,” VanCleave says, adding that the machines can charge users a 10-50 percent “markup” on transactions.
At the police department’s request, the City Council on Sept. 8 approved an ordinance placing regulations on the 70 or so local Bitcoin ATMs, which are mostly housed in convenience stores. It mandates warning messages at the machines, education for store owners, and a direct line of communication from kiosk operators to authorities.
“The ultimate problem is scammers using them for their own game,” VanCleave says of Bitcoin ATMs. “However, with the fee structure of the machines, it ensures that virtually no legitimate users are using them. So, the machines and stores hosting them are simply making money off of scam victims – which is of course morally problematic.”
VanCleave says scammers’ methods differ, but the goal of all of them is to pull money away from victims. He encourages people to not fall prey. “I can’t stop the scammers from doing what they’re doing, but I can try to inform victims so they don’t fall for it,” he says.
Those who suspect a scam may call the EPD Financial Crimes Unit at 812-436-7991 or 911. For the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, dial 911 or its crime tip line, 812-421-6297.
