Scam Squad

This week, Patti and Vicki explore the latest Scam Statistics and explain why these alarming numbers indicate we are so much more likely to be scammed this year, especially on Social Media, than in anytime in previous history. Deputy District Attorney Vicki Jonson will tell us why scammers are so much more sophisticated now because of technological advancements such as Artificial Intelligence. She will alert us as to why it is almost impossible to tell whether a person is a scammer or a family member, friend, or the person they claim to be. What are the chances you will be scammed this year? Is there anything you can do to protect yourself? Have police and law enforcement totally lost the War on Scams? Find out this week on Scam Squad’s Latest Scam Statistics episode.

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Scmsqd - 2024 - 02 - 17 - Email Scams by Hub for Podcasting

Scmsqd - 2024 - 02 - 10 - Text & Phone Scams by Hub for Podcasting

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Scmsqd - 2023 - 12 - 02 - Holiday Scammers by Hub for Podcasting

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Scmsqd - 2023 - 11 - 11 - Social Media Scams by Hub for Podcasting

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Phantom Hacker Scam by Hub for Podcasting

Scmsqd - 2023 - 10 - 21- Phony Sheriff by Hub for Podcasting

Scmsqd - 2023 - 10 - 14 - Zelle Payment Scam by Hub for Podcasting

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Scmsqd - 2023 - 09 - 23 - Tech Supp Scams by Hub for Podcasting

Scmsqd - 2023 - 09 - 16 - Celeberty Romance Scams by Hub for Podcasting

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1 watching now Premiere in progress. Started 3 minutes ago Subscribe Today so you Don’t Miss any Important Warnings! With Doris Roof, Senior Fraud Specialist from Montecito Bank & Trust. The IRS and California Franchise Tax Board extended the federal and state tax deadline to Oct. 16, 2023, for most California counties. Because of this, many people who are filing their taxes now are finding out that a scammer has already filed their taxes and taken their refund! In another scam, people are contacted by a con artist who is pretending to be from the IRS. These con artists generally contact people by phone or by mail. They use scare tactics and demand you contact them immediately, saying you owe them money. Don’t believe it! Never wire money to them or pay them with gift cards. If they ask you to do so, IT’S A SCAM! Remember, if you get one of these letters, don’t call the number that’s in the letter. And don’t trust that the phone call you’re receiving is really from the IRS. At the very least, they will want you to disclose information so that they can steal your identity! Go to the IRS official website and click on customer service for help. GOOD NEWS! At the end of the podcast, Vicki shares some good news! A woman in Washington State had been systematically stealing people’s identities and then making fake ids and opening bank accounts in her victim’s names. She stole over $472,000 from victims but FINALLY got caught and convicted. Please call SCAM SQUAD’S FRAUD HOTLINE at 805-568-2442 You can simply get information from Vicki, or share your story of being scammed (or nearly scammed) to help others.

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With Special Guest, Criminologist & Financial Exploitation Specialist, Judy Christman Yates, DPA RESOURCES What to Know about the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/03/what-know-about-us-census-bureaus-american-community-survey?utm_source=govdelivery, 3/7/2023. • Check to see if American Community Survey (ACS) is legitimate: California and five other states are covered by the Los Angeles Region Office of 1-800- 992-3530. • More about ACS and the 10 years census, go online to https://www.census.gov/ Medicare Fraud Prevention: What’s on your statement? https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/06/medicare-fraud-prevention-whats-your-statement?utm_source=govdelivery, 6/8/23. About AARP Fraud Watch Network, https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/about-fraud-watch-network/, May 26, 2023: • Look up a scam in AARP’s Fraud Resource Center, • See or report scams in your area with our Scam-Tracking Map, • Get regular updates on the latest scams by signing up for biweekly Watchdog Alerts or text FWN to 50757 to receive text alerts, • Hear directly from fraud experts at one of our webinars, tele-town halls or live events in communities around the country, • Hear stories of real scams on our award-winning podcast, The Perfect Scam, Get social with the AARP Fraud Watch Network on Facebook and Twitter, where you’ll also have access to online events. You can also • connect with others on the Scams & Fraud channel in AARP’s online community, • Online resources to help protect veterans, service members and their families against scams at the and Looking for resources in Spanish? Go to www.aarp.org/fraude"

In this episode, Deputy District Attorney, Vicki Johnson, reviews the top text scams. Generally, text scams will offer you a reward/prize or pretend to notify you of a serious problem. Don't fall for them! Here are some of the most common text scams: 1. Fake Package Delivery Text Scams: The text will look like it's coming from UPS, Fed-X, USPS, or other delivery services. The texts says there has been a problem with your delivery. The text has a link to a website offering to re-delivery your package for a small fee. This is just a RUSE to get your information. 2. Phony Job Offer Text Scam: Often these are secret shopper jobs or 'car wrap' opportunities. The phony employer may send you a check which ends up being fake but before you figure that out, you're asked to pay them for job materials you'll need. Of course, when you fill out the job application, they'll acquire your personal information, leaving you vulnerable to identity theft. 3. Phony Security Alerts from a well-known company asking if you made a large purchase. If you get a text like this, don't respond to it or to the phone number in the text. Instead, call the company directly! Another Scam to Watch Out For: Americans are receiving mail which looks like it's from the IRS, saying you're owed a refund. People are asked to send photos of their Driver's license. Don't fall for this scam! Stay until the end of this episode so that you can hear Vicki's GOOD NEWS! To share your own story on Scam Squad or to receive help from Vicki, call the Scam Squad Fraud Hotline at 805-568-2442. Please subscribe today so you don't miss any important warnings!

Senior Fraud Specialist, Doris Roof, warns about Tax Refund Scams, which are one of the most costly scams--with 5.7 billion in losses. Fraudsters sometimes manage to steal their victim's refunds or they contact people with aggressive tax collection tactics--convincing people that they need to pay their taxes immediately. Here's How to Spot Tax Scams: - Fraudsters pretend to be IRS agents and contact victims via the phone, email, text, of postal mail. IIt's true that the IRS will contact people by mail but even if you receive something that looks like it's from the IRS, reach out to them directly to be sure it's a REAL notice, and not from a scammer. - Watch out for aggressive tax collection attempts demanding payment through pre-paid debit cards, wire transfers, or Bitcoin. - Beward of emails or texts asking you to verify your personal information. It may contain a link to a fraudulent form or website. It may say they need you to update your personal information such as your address, phone number, or social security number. Sometimes the correspondence contains a link and if you click on it, malicious malware can be installed on your computer. Vicki also warned listeners about professionals who snatch billfolds amd wallets from purses left in shopping carts. She also shared news that the FTC is suing Walmart for turning a blind eye to scammers, allowing payouts of suspicious transfers.

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WEIGHT LOSS SCAMS by Hub for Podcasting

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO SCAM SQUAD TODAY SO YOU DON'T MISS A SINGLE WARNING! Shawn Dyer, Senior Fraud Specialist from Monteciot Bank & Trust warns of four basic signs or a scam: 1. Scammers pretend to be from a familiar organization or agency, like the Social Security Administration, or Internal Revenue Service. They may email attachments with official-looking logos, seals, or signatures. 2. Scammers mention a problem or a prize. They may indicate the customer’s account number was involved in a crime or ask for personal information. 3. Scammers pressure the recipient to act immediately. They may even threaten arrest or legal action. 4. Scammers tell the customer to pay using a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, wire, or money transfer, or by mailing cash. Shawn also reviews the recurring Tech Support scam and peer to peer scams using Venmo, Zelle, or CashApp. She also explains the difference between scams and fraud. With scams, you were tricked, and a business or bank is unlikely to reimburse you because you authorized the transaction. (For example, sending a crypto payment to a scammer.) In contrast, with fraud, you are swindled, but it is not due to any action that you took. In this case, you are in a better position to be reimbursed by your bank or a business.

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Dayton Aldrich, Victim Advocate for the County of Santa Barbara reports about scammers who forge a phony deed and use the home owner's property as collateral to get loans, lines of credit, etc. In the most horrendous cases, they sell a person's house right out from under them. Recognize the red flags and steps you can take to protect your home.

A gentleman almost falls for a sophisticated Jury Duty Scam. Randy, a gentleman from Santa Maria, received a threatening call from authorities who told him that he had missed Federal Jury Duty. At the time, Randy was returning from a grocery shopping trip. The authorities told him that he had to immediately drive from Santa Maria to Santa Barbara to pay $4,500 and that if he didn't, they would ping his location, arrest him and put him in jail. Randy asked if he could stop by his home to put away his perishable groceries but the authorities told him that they would consider that fleeing and that he must drive straight to the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department! They instructed him to stay on the line with them while he made the hour long drive to Santa Barbara. He was told not to disconnect or mute the call for the entire drive. Randy made it to Santa Barbara, went to his bank, and was able to withdraw the $4,500 that they demanded--even though he told them that it would cause him great hardship. Randy was ready to take the money to the Santa Barbara Sherrif's Department but at that point the 'authorities' told him to take the money to a kiosk and to send the money that way, and then to take the receipt to the Sheriff's Station. Thankfully at that point, Randy realized that he was dealing with scammers. He took the money back to the bank and re-deposited it--and was kind enough to share his story to save others from falling for this scam.

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Today's Expert Guest - Dr. Judy Christman Yates, DPA, Criminologist & Financial Exploitation Specialist On past shows we have talked about Artificial Intelligence. Now there seems to be something new that has world attention called ChatGPT. But first, Judy explains what ChatBot is before explaining how ChatGPT works and what we can do with it. While ChatGPT can be an amazing tool, scammers also use it; and Judy tells us what to watch out for--and how it is being used with the Romance Scam. Finally, Judy reviews the Trade Commission's eight favorite lies used by scammers in Romance Scams. Remember, to always report if you think you are being scammed! ( FTC.gov, IC3.gov, FBI.gov) If you'd like to tell your story on Scam Squad to warn others, call Deputy District Attorney, Vick Johnson on the FRAUD HOTLINE at 805-568-2442. References and Links from this show: OpenAI, the company that developed ChatGPT, https://openai.com/ What is DALL-E? How it works and how the system generates AI art, 11/3/22, https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/what-is-dall-e-how-it-works-and-how-the-system-generates-ai-art#, “It is changing the future of art. DALL-E, written as DALL·E on the company website, is a machine-learning model created by OpenAI to produce images from language descriptions. These text-to-image descriptions are known as prompts. The system could generate realistic images just from a description of the scene. DALL-E is a neural network algorithm that creates accurate pictures from short phrases provided by the user. It comprehends language through textual descriptions and from “learning” information provided in its datasets by users and developers.” ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about OpenAI's GPT-4 tool, https://www.sciencefocus.com/future-technology/gpt-3/, 5/5/2023. How to tell GPT Scams Apart from the Real Thing, 3/17/23, https://www.howtogeek.com/879206/how-to-tell-chatgpt-scams-apart-from-the-real-thing/ What is a chatbot?, IBM https://www.ibm.com “A chatbot is a computer program that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to understand customer questions and automate …” How does ChatGPT differ from the human brain? https://gcn.com/emerging-tech/2023/02/how-does-chatgpt-differ-human-intelligence/383086/, 2/17/2023. “Humans and computer intelligence harbor many similarities in how they process information, researchers say, but machines still have limitations.” ChatGPT is a data privacy nightmare. If you’ve ever posted online, you ought to be concerned, https://gcn.com/data-analytics/2023/02/chatgpt-data-privacy-nightmare-if-youve-ever-posted-online-you-ought-be-concerned/382718/, 2/8/2023. ChatGPT: A Scammer’s Newest Tool, https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/internet-security/chatgpt-a-scammers-newest-tool/, 1/25/2023. “ Voice deepfakes are calling – here’s what they are and how to avoid getting scammed, https://gcn.com/emerging-tech/2023/03/voice-deepfakes-are-calling-heres-what-they-are-and-how-avoid-getting-scammed/384188/, 3/20/2023. “The next time your mother calls [or your bank], you might want to decline. Experts warn scammers are using voice deepfakes of individuals' family and friends to steal money. . . . Thousands of people were scammed this way in 2022. . . . [it is] . . . increasingly possible to convincingly simulate a person’s voice. Even worse, chatbots like ChatGPT are starting to generate realistic scripts with adaptive real-time responses.” Federal Trade Commission (FTC.gov) Help stop scammers by reporting suspicious profiles or messages to the dating app or social media platform. Then, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If someone is trying to extort you, report it to the FBI. Learn more at ftc.gov/romancescams."

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With Special Guest--Shawn Dyer, Montecito Bank & Trust Fraud Specialist Rental scams have been around for a long time. However, as college lets out for the summer, they are on the rise. Here's how the Scam Works: You see a great rental listing on Craigs List. The price is likely to be better than other similar properties. When you respond to the ad, the person who posted it tries to get you off the Craigslist platform as soon as possible to continue a conversation. They send you photos of the property, but will make up some reason why they can't show it to you in person. However, they promise they'll send you keys to the property after you fill out an application and give them a deposit--often by Zelle or Venmo. Now the scammer has your personal information and a deposit and/or first and last rental payments. DON'T BE FOOLED! It's likely that they sent you photos of a property that is for sale. (The scammer can easily find photos on Zillow or other real estate sites.) Remember, if a rental property sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Another old scam that's on the rise is wallet and billfold thefts, stolen from people who are out shopping. Rings from other cities sweep into town. One of the thieves distracts the shopper, while the other one quickly steals their billfold or wallet. Often, the thief is already using stolen credit cards before the victim even realizes they're gone. The thieves are hard to catch because they travel from city to city. In a similar scam, Vicki reports that thieves run up to a car as men get in them, saying they accidentally dropped their keys and that they fell underneath the person's car. Usually the gentleman will offer to help and as he crouches down to help find the missing keys, the crook will quickly take the wallet out of the victim's back pant's pocket. Lastly, Vicki shares some Good News. The Dept of Justice formed a task force to prosecute and sentence a Texas man for his role in romance scams using the images of two United Stated generals. If you'd like to talk to Deputy District Attorney Vicki Johnson about a scam, or would like to tell your story on Scam Squad to warn others, call the FRAUD HOTLINE at 805-568-2442.

Thanks for tuning into Scam Squad. If you'd like to support this channel and our effort to work together to stop scammers. please consider making a donation. Just click on the donate button on the banner--or click here. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=2NUJKFFC4RPNY Scams you May Not Have Heard of: Ooops - Wrong Number Scam: You receive a text that was obviously sent to you by mistake. It sems to be urgent information (such as a doctor's appointment reminder or an investment opportunity), so you text or call the sender to let them know they sent the message to the wrong number. The scammer starts a friendly conversation in an attempt to befriend you. This is how they get you to trust them, and may be a lead up to a romance scam or an investment scam. If they send a link, don't click on it! It may contain malicious malware. Also, if you receive messages with an opportunity to text back STOP, don't do it! (This let's the scammer know that they reached a live person.) Instead, just delete the message and block the phone number. Crypto Refund Swindle: You may have lost money through a crypto swindle or investment. A company that refers to itslef as a Refund & Recovery Company from the US Department of State offers to get you your money back, for a fee. Don't fall for it! They will steal your identity and money and you' won't get your money back. Or, they'll falsely tell you they'll refund the money they charged but only if you make them a testimonial video saying how great their company is. Fake High School Sports Streaming Scam: Fake sites are sprouting up, promising that for a fee, you can watch a streaming video of their favorite high school team. They take your money but when it's time for the game, they don't deliver. And, they have your credit card information! It's advised that you check with the school itself to find out if it's a legitimate site before purchasing online streaming videos of sport's events. Out of Stock Scams.: Fake ads are placed on social media sites. They take your order but later you get an email that the item is out of stock. You never get a refund but now, they have your credit card information. Delivery Driver Cant Find your Home Scam: A delivery driver calls and says they have a package for you but that they can't find your address. If you say you didn't place an order, they'll tell you that it's a gift. In order to deliver the package, they'll con you out of your personal information. It's recommended that if you get a call like this from a delivery driver, you contact the seller directly to find out if it's a legitimate delivery. Good News! Many consumers have purchased what they thought was a free trial offer with a small delivery fee, but they ended up being charged hundreds of dollars for months. The FTC just returned 1.1 million dollars to consumers who fell for this scam. If you feel like you may have fallen for this scam and are eligable for a refund, go to the FTC website, and look for 'refunds to consumers.'

Scmsqd - 2023 - 05 - 06 - Oragnaize Wallet by Hub for Podcasting

With Special Guest, Santa Barbara DA's Victim Advocate, Dayton Aldrich. After a warning about spoofing, Dayton discusses Artificial Intelligence (AI) Voice Cloning, which scammers are using it to impersonate people. Scammers often obtain a sample of someone's voice from social media, videos or podcasts. AI can clone a voice with a recording of a dialogue that's only three seconds long. Scammers can then use AI voice cloning services to generate a synthetic version of a person's voice, simply typing what the cloned voice will say. These 'phony' recordings can be used by to swindle CEOs, executives, lawyers and every day people. Vicki told listeners that recently a mother was terrorized by a con artist who demanded a million dollar ransom--using the cloned voice of her daughter. The mother was convinced that it was her fifteen year old daughter's voice--because even the inflection and crying sounded like her. Tips to Avoice Voice AI Voice Cloning Scams: 1. Be very skeptical if someone calls and puts pressure on you--even if you think you recognize the voice. 2. Ask questions that only the person it sounds like you're speaking to, could answer. 3. Call back the person it sounds like you're speaking to--don't trust caller ID. Remember, the number may be spoofed. 4. Don't send money. Be very suspicious if you're asked to send gift cards or crypto. 5. Report this scam to law enforcement and warn your family and friends. If you'd like to talk with Deputy District Attorney Vicki Johnson, or share your story on Scam Squad, Call the Fraud Hotline at 805-568-2442. 0 Comments

Scmsqd - 2023 - 04 - 08 - Dark Web by Hub for Podcasting

Scam Squad Guest, Dr Judy Christman Yates, DPA, Criminologist discusses IRS scams to avoid and the FTC Top Scams of 2022 1. Top Scams of 2022, https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/02/top- scams-2022?utm_source=govdelivery, 2/23/2023 by Federal Trade Commission, Andrew Rayo, Consumer Education Specialist. “The latest FTC data book says people reported losing $8.8 billion to scams. • Investment scams were huge, with reported losses of $3.8 billion. That’s more than people lost to any other scam, and more than double the loss reported in 2021. • Impersonator scams were still the most-reported scam, with reported losses of $2.6 billion. The difference this year? Higher losses to business imposters: 2022 losses were $660 million, compared to $453 million in 2021. • If people paid a scammer, the biggest reported losses were through bank transfers ($1.5 billion reported lost to scams) and cryptocurrency ($1.4 billion reported lost). • Younger adults (ages 20-29) reported losing money more often than older adults (ages 70-79). But when older adults did lose money, they lost more than anyone else.” 2 IRS [Internal Revenue Service] scams to avoid this year, https:// www.capitalone.com/learn-grow/privacy-security/avoid-tax-scams/, 2/15/2023, Capital One. Scam Squad Guest, Dr Judy Christman Yates, DPA, Criminologist discusses IRS scams to avoid and the FTC Top Scams of 2022 1. Top Scams of 2022, https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/02/top- scams-2022?utm_source=govdelivery, 2/23/2023 by Federal Trade Commission, Andrew Rayo, Consumer Education Specialist. “The latest FTC data book says people reported losing $8.8 billion to scams. • Investment scams were huge, with reported losses of $3.8 billion. That’s more than people lost to any other scam, and more than double the loss reported in 2021. • Impersonator scams were still the most-reported scam, with reported losses of $2.6 billion. The difference this year? Higher losses to business imposters: 2022 losses were $660 million, compared to $453 million in 2021. • If people paid a scammer, the biggest reported losses were through bank transfers ($1.5 billion reported lost to scams) and cryptocurrency ($1.4 billion reported lost). • Younger adults (ages 20-29) reported losing money more often than older adults (ages 70-79). But when older adults did lose money, they lost more than anyone else.” 2 IRS [Internal Revenue Service] scams to avoid this year, https:// www.capitalone.com/learn-grow/privacy-security/avoid-tax-scams/, 2/15/2023, Capital One. “According to the IRS, it doesn’t “initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. Here are some common scams to watch out for, according to the IRS: IRS impersonation scams • Email phishing: Known as phishing, scammers may ask for personal or financial information from a taxpayer through unsolicited emails. • IRS scam calls: phishing—scammer makes a call & impersonates IRS. • IRS text messages: Another form of phishing is smishing. A taxpayer may receive a text message from a fraudulent number claiming to be the IRS. Other Tax-related scams • identity theft: uses a taxpayer’s Social Security number (SSN), to file a tax return in a taxpayer’s name. • Abusive arrangements: Scammers may reach out and tell filers they can earn tax savings if they take part in a complex scheme or arrangement. • Tax debt settlement companies: Dishonest tax companies might target individuals having trouble paying their taxes. • Ghost tax preparers: Sometimes scammers pose as tax preparers and offer to help with tax returns. But they won’t sign the return or include a preparer tax identification number (PTIN), which are both required by law. • Spear phishing: This type of attack is when scammers send an email trying to steal information—like software preparation credentials—from tax professionals.

Shawn Dyer, Fraud Specialist at Montecito Bank & Trust, sounds the alarm about check fraud, which is on the rise. She urges people to utilize online banking so they can check the activity of their bank accounts frequently and pull up check images that may have been altered. She also talks about the Tech Scam, which is still rampant. The scammer pretends to work for a tech company. They tell the victim that they are owed a refund and then accidentally overpay them . In reality, after gaining access to a person's login information, the scammer transfers money from their savings account to their checking account online. When the victim sees the balance, they believe the scammer really did pay them too much. Of course the scammer claims that if the money is not returned, they'll lose their job. The victim is sympathetic and wants to help out. They are instructed to make a cash withdrawal from their bank and deposit it through a bitcoin machine. Don't fall for this scam; your money will be gone forever! Lastly, Vicki shares some Good News. A Russian Malware Developer who extorted a small fortune from US citizens was extradited to the US where he was convicted and sent to federal prison. To talk to Deputy District Attorney Vicki Johnson about a scam or to tell your story on Scam Squad to warn others, call the Fraud Hotline at 805-568-2442.

In this episode, a woman is almost taken in by the Jury Duty Scam. It's easy to see why. She received a call and the caller ID was spoofed to say it was the Sheriff's Department. The scammers identified themselves by using names of real sheriffs and judges. Plus, the victim occasionally received subpoenas to testify, because she was a medical expert--making it even more believable. They told her that someone had signed for the subpoena and gave her the date and time that it happened. They threatened that if she didn't pay a $10,000 fine immediately, she would go to jail. Initially, the scare tactics worked. She followed their instructions and went to stores to purchase money packs to give them. The first store limited the number of money packs that she could buy so she went to a second store. Here, the Vons employee told her she was being scammed. Then the woman did something very right. She told the scammer that she was driving to the sheriff's department and she did just that. When she arrived, the Sheriffs confirmed that it was a familiar scam. Scammers use fear tactics to scare their victims. Deputy District Attorney Vicki Johnson says that police officers and sherriffs will never call and threaten to arrest you if you miss jury duty. If you get a call like this, don't trust the caller ID. Tell the scammer you'll call them back and then look up the number yourself. Good News! A group of people who were stealing mail were recently arrested. They were soliciting crooks to help them through social media! Vicki reminds listeners to avoid using mailboxes to mail out their bills. Get a locked mailbox on your own property. Don't use the blue bins. Instead, walk your mail into the post office and set it on the counter.