TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Willcox Department of Public Safety is warning of a phone scam circulating in the area—it's something that can happen any time of the year, but authorities warn that internet and phone scams are especially prevalent during the holiday season.
According to a report from the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, a scammer used a tactic known as "spoofing" to get a "large amount of money" from a local woman.
This particular scam began with an initial call telling the woman she had "pending charges" for illegal activities related to money laundering and drugs, and that the woman needed to "secure her funds" to prove otherwise.
She was told that local law enforcement would follow up with her—that's when the spoofing technology came in. The report says a second individual then called her, using the same phone number as the Willcox Police Department, which made the call appear legitimate.
The woman's money was stolen after she was then sent bar codes and given instructions to scan them at a nearby Wal-mart. She was told that process would "verify" her money, but instead resulted in a transfer of her funds to the scammer, Willcox police say.
"Please remember, scammer[s] are active and are trying to get your money," Willcox Police Chief Dale Hadfield said. "Don't allow yourself to become a victim. This is a multibillion-dollar, multi-country criminal enterprise and as long as they keep victimizing citizens, they will not stop."
Hadfield reiterated one of the best ways to prevent scams is to help spread information about them.
"Talk to your family and friends, make sure they know there are scams ongoing, and when in doubt, hang up and call the police," said Hadfield.
What should you do if you're targeted?
Sharing information with others is indeed an effective mode of protection. Authorities have other reminders, as well:
- No law enforcement or other government agency will ever call you to ask for money or financial information. If you're unsure, Willcox PD says to remember that police must show up in person to serve papers.
- Even if a call appears to be incoming from an official phone number, spoofing technology makes this difficult to verify. If you're uncertain, you should call directly or visit the agency's physical location.
If you've already fallen for a scam, agencies say you should definitely report the activity, even if you don't think you can get your money back.
Scams Targeting Veterans
The FBI is also warning of potential scams targeting veterans specifically in and around this Veteran's Day holiday weekend.
According to the AARP, two particularly vulnerable groups—veterans and elderly—tend to have higher likelihood for being targeted and falling victim to phone and internet scams.
The FBI's Phoenix Field Office says common scams currently targeting veterans include:
- Loan scams offering low rates to refinance Veterans Affairs loans
- Imposter scams, similar to the abovementioned Willcox case, where a caller will tell a potential victim they work for a government agency and then request financial information
- Pension poaching scams, in which the scammer offers to pay veterans a large sum of cash up-front in exchange for future monthly benefit checks
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Anne Simmons is the digital executive producer for KGUN 9. Anne got her start in television while still a student at the University of Arizona. Before joining KGUN, she managed multiple public access television stations in the Bay Area and has worked as a video producer in the non-profit sector. Share your story ideas and important issues with Anne by emailing anne.simmons@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
