Scams can happen anywhere, any time and to any person, regardless of age or income. The West Jordan Police Department is offering some ways to spot a modern day scam.

Warning Signs of a Scam

• A “major corporation” or “government official”, or “police officer” contacts you through email, phone call, or text message about money for repairs, debt payment, a compromised bank account or an arrest warrant.
• They may offer you an award or lottery winnings that you haven’t registered for.
• They want payment through a money order, cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) ATM, gift cards, or cash.
• A person befriends you on social media and persuades you into thinking you have a romantic relationship, then they ask for money.
• They ask for sensitive information.
• They want money or a deposit before delivery.
• The website URL looks a little different than the legitimate site.
• The email address looks strange.
• They ask for bail or ransom money and the situation doesn’t make sense.

Protect yourself from losing money!

• If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
• Only purchase tickets/items/make payments from authorized and verified sources.
• Use a credit card to make payments and purchases.

What to do if you think someone is trying to scam you

• Call the police non-emergency phone line: 801-840-4000
• Call the family member that you think someone is trying to impersonate
• Call the legitimate company phone number
• Hang up the phone and don’t answer the call from that same number
• Mark the suspicious email address or text as spam

What to do if you lost money through a scam

If you are involved in a scam, big or small, it is very difficult to bring the scammer to justice. However, police department investigators would still like to hear about it. If you are a victim or think you may be a victim of a scam, please call the non-emergency hotline at the police department at (801) 840-4000.

Common scams and scammer strategies

Computer Fixes

A major corporation will never reach out to you to fix your computer remotely. Here is what might happen if someone asks for money to repair your computer.

• You get a call or email from someone claiming to be from Microsoft or some major corporation. They tell you that your computer needs some repairs and they can fix it for you online.
• They will ask for payment in a very specific way – through a bitcoin ATM at a nearby store.
• They will offer to stay on the phone with you every step of the way.
• You’ll be told you need to withdraw money from your bank account directly. Some scammers will ask for $30,000. They may suggest that you tell the bank you need the money for home repairs if the bank asks why you are withdrawing such a large amount.
• They will direct you to deposit the money in a bitcoin ATM, then promise to make the needed repairs to your computer.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) voices

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a powerful tool for writing and voice creation. Here is what might happen if you get a call from someone trying to steal your money using AI voice messages.

• You will get a call from someone pretending to be a family member in jail, or someone pretending to have kidnapped your children.
• The recording will sound like your children, or family members. You may get a call and the scammer will demand ransom money for your children or bail money to get out of jail.
• They will ask you to withdraw a large amount of money from your bank account.
• They will ask you to deposit the money in a cryptocurrency ATM.
• They will tell you not to contact the police.

Prize Money

You may receive an email congratulating you on lottery or PCH (Publishers Clearing House) money or award.

Romance Schemes

Someone you haven’t met or know very little may befriend you on Facebook or other social media. The perpetrator will gain your trust and you may mistakenly believe you are in a serious romantic relationship, despite never having met in person. In this type of scheme, the perpetrator typically requests money, claiming it is needed due to a disaster or accident and promises to repay you. Once the money is received, the perpetrator continues their story and often asks for even more funds. This pattern continues as long as the perpetrator is receiving money from the victim.

Identity Theft Threat

Someone impersonating a representative from a computer company or bank informs the victim that their information has been compromised. They then instruct the victim to deposit funds into Bitcoin ATMs as a way to protect their money, or to send gift cards to them.

Police Officers and Arrest Threats

Someone posing as a representative from the police department or courts tells the victim that they have a warrant out for their arrest or have missed jury duty. They direct the victim to pay the fine using gift cards or by depositing money into a Bitcoin ATM.

Tickets

Buying tickets from anywhere but the official website or box office is always a risk. Here are some things to look out for when buying tickets for any event, from Western Stampede to Lagoon.

• Scammers may use fake numbers, emails, and other credentials, and are usually out of state.
• The seller will want a deposit or payment before you receive the tickets.
• Pay attention to the website URL. Scams will have slightly different spelling or odd looking web addresses.
• Purchase tickets from official online sources and pay with a credit card. If you do fall victim to a scam, credit card companies can issue a “chargeback”.
• Purchase tickets from people you know and trust.