The Larimer County Sheriff's Office says scammers are faking kidnappings and sheriff's calls to get money fast. Fear and urgency are the hook.
A caller says your child or another relative has been kidnapped and wants $5,000 right now. You may hear crying in the background. The Larimer County Sheriff's Office says this is a scam, and it is one of several it described in its October fraud report for Northern Colorado.
The kidnapping callers threaten violence unless the money is paid right away. Some claim the relative saw a drug deal or got into a dispute over missing cocaine.
Other scammers pose as sheriff's deputies. In one case, a victim paid $4,500 to someone who claimed there was an arrest warrant tied to jury duty. The scammer demanded payment for a supposed signature analysis to clear it. In another case, a caller used a faked Sheriff's Office phone number. That person checked the department's fraud information and spotted the scam before paying.
The report also covers a crypto seller scam. The seller asked for a deposit to deliver an item, then said another buyer was interested and demanded the rest of the money at once. The victim lost more than $500 in Bitcoin. A fourth scam sends fake Google security alerts by text, email or phone, claiming an account has been hacked and pointing to bad links or fake support staff.
Each one creates panic and a deadline. A familiar phone number adds trust, but caller ID can be faked. A caller who knows personal details can still be a scammer. Barbara EJ Bennett, the Sheriff's Office's chief Scambuster, says growing awareness among businesses, banks and residents is helping stop payments before money changes hands.
Crypto is a special worry because scammers can move it quickly, which makes recovery hard. Crypto kiosks, wire transfers, gift cards and payment apps are not fraudulent in themselves. A demand to use them under pressure is the warning sign.
The warning is aimed at Northern Colorado residents. Anyone who gets a call, text or email about a family emergency, a warrant, account security or an online purchase could be a target. Scams like these are not tied to one place, so the same habits help elsewhere.
One bright spot: a customer service employee at a Colorado Springs Walmart Neighborhood Market noticed a customer trying to make a scam-related payment and stepped in. The employee reportedly saved the customer thousands of dollars.
The alert box above lists the steps. The short version is to stop, check with the real person or agency yourself, and never pay under pressure.
The Sheriff's Office lists fraud information on its website. Reports can also go to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov or the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Bennett asks residents to share suspicious calls and messages so others can spot new scams. She can be reached at 970-498-5146.
If a caller demands money fast, hang up and check with the real person or agency yourself, because police do not take payment by phone to clear a warrant.
The Attala County Sheriff's Office in Mississippi says scam calls are reaching residents, and a call that sounds official may not be.
Read more: Mississippi sheriff warns residents about scam phone callsScammers are posing as Texas sheriff's officers and claiming you missed jury duty. Caller ID can show a real police number even when the call is fake.
Read more: Fake jury duty calls spoof a real Texas sheriff's phone numberFake PayPal emails and texts, some posing as a security report, try to get you to tap a link and type your login. Checking your account directly avoids the trap.
Read more: Got a fake PayPal message? Skip its link and check your account yourself
