scams

Crime, Local News

Clay County mail and phone scams circulating

Kendra Beneke,

CLAY COUNTY, N.D.–The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is warning the community about two scams involving Clay County. The first scam reportedly arrives in the mail from the “Benefits Suspension Unit, Clay County, Public Judgement Records. The letter informs the victim of a “Distraint Warrant” and says the victim must call a 1-800 number by a certain date. The Sheriff’s Office…
Coronavirus, Coronavirus-MN, Crime, Minnesota News

Department of Health warns Minnesotans about COVID-19 contact tracing text scam

Kendra Beneke,

ST. PAUL, Minn.–The Minnesota Department of Commerce and Minnesota Department of Health are warning the public about text scams related to COVID-19 contact tracing. Contact tracing is used to slow the spread of the virus by contacting infected individuals to determine who may have been exposed. Those individuals are then contacted and told to watch for symptoms and self-isolate. Officials…
Coronavirus, Crime

Fargo Police warn college students of phishing scams

Kendra Beneke,

FARGO, N.D.–Scams targeting college students are making the rounds. Fargo Police say students should be on the lookout for emails claiming to be from their University’s “Financial Department.” The emails encourage students to click a link to receive a message regarding the COVID-19 stimulus checks. By clicking the link and logging in, scammers may be able to access user names,…

Ppe Face Masks
Crime, Local News

Fargo Police Warn of Face Mask Scams

If you suspect a scam, report it to the FTC.
Kendra Beneke,

FARGO, N.D.–The Fargo Police Department is warning residents about buying facemasks and other health products from unfamiliar online sources. Police say dozens of people, including healthcare workers, have reported paying for facemasks and toilet paper online and then never receiving the items. Scammers take the money and then cut off all contact, refuse to answer questions and deactivate websites. Police…

Scams
Community, Coronavirus, Coronavirus-MN, Coronavirus-ND, Health, Local News, Minnesota News, North Dakota News

Police Warn of Coronavirus-Related Scams

Officials say scammers are looking to capitalize on people's fears
Raya Quttaineh,

FARGO, N.D. — Fargo Police is warning the elderly about coronavirus-related scams. Officials say scammers are calling elderly people claiming they have a COVID-19 vaccine. The scammers are asking people to reserve a dose with over-the-phone payments. A COVID-19 vaccine does not yet exist. Police are also warning people of coronavirus phishing emails. Although there are no reports of these…

Inspector General Declares March 5 National “Slam the Scam” Day

Victims lost nearly $153 million just in the 2019 fiscal year alone.
Kendra Beneke,

The Inspector General for the Social Security Administration has declared March 5, 2020 as National “Slam the Scam” Day in an attempt to raise awareness for government phone scams. The scams, in which callers pretend to be government employees to get people to reveal personal information or make payments, has become the number one type of consumer fraud reported to…
Morning - In The Studio

LIVE: Avoiding Scams This Holiday Season

Fargo Police Tell You What To Look For In Potential Scams
Adam Ladwig,

  Fargo Police are warning us about a scam going around this holiday season. The scam involves someone pretending to be a member of the police department demanding immediate payment for a fine. If you don’t pay, the person says you might get arrested. Fargo Police PIO Jessica Schindeldecker says real police will never demand payment over the phone. She…
Local News, Minnesota News

Better Business Bureau and AARP hosts ‘Scam Jam’ at Hjemkomst Center

Members from the bureau and AARP spoke about new age fraud and how scammers can access basic information about you from the internet.
Heather Vikre,

MOORHEAD, Minn.– The Better Business Bureau hosting a seminar called “Scam Jam” to talk about popular scams that older people can fall into. Members from the bureau and AARP spoke about new age fraud and how scammers can access basic information about you from the internet. They chose someone who registered online. They were able to find all nine of…
Local News, North Dakota News

AARP Hosts ‘Lunch and Learn’ to Teach People About How to Protect Themselves Against Scams

According to the AARP Fraud Watch Network, a con artist steals someone's identity every 2 seconds in the U.S
Heather Vikre,

FARGO, N.D.– Robo–calls are nothing new in our area, but scams come in all shapes and sizes. According to the AARP Fraud Watch Network, a con artist steals someone’s identity every 2 seconds in the U.S. The group says in 2018, Americans lost $16 billion  to fraud, identity theft, and scams. There are many types of scams people can fall…
Community, Crime, News Landing Page, North Dakota News

North Dakota AARP Educates Seniors on How to Avoid Fraud

Elderly citizens lost nearly $3 billion last year in scams over the phone and online
,

FARGO, N.D. — In the United States, senior citizens lost nearly $3 billion last year as the result of financial scams. According to the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, 55% of the cases of elderly fraud came under the disguise of giving money to family and friends. “People have a tendency to be nice and give them information…