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Fraud Prevention

Police & Fire
Don't Fall For It: Driveway Paving Scams On Rise In Region Don't Fall For It: Driveway Paving Scams On Rise In Region
Don't Fall For It: Driveway Paving Scams On Rise In Region Police are warning of an uptick in scammers hoping to take advantage of the warmer spring weather. Each year, agencies across the country see an increase in complaints about fraudsters who bait homeowners with driveway paving services, according to the North Greenbush Police Department in New York. “As the trees sprout leaf buds and the daffodils peek out of their underground hiding, so must the scam artists offering to pave or sealcoat your driveway for the low low price of only five times what it would cost for a legitimate business to do it,” the agency said on Facebook. “And they must b…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Authorities In Region Issue New Warning Of Phone Scammers Posing As Cops Authorities In Region Issue New Warning Of Phone Scammers Posing As Cops
Authorities In Region Issue New Warning Of Phone Scammers Posing As Cops Law enforcement authorities in the region have issued a new warning about an increased number of phone scammers trying to trick people out of their hard-earned money. The latest scam involves criminals posing as law enforcement officers claiming that victims need to pay money in order to avoid criminal charges, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office said. In one recent case, the scammers identified themselves as “Dutchess County Sergeant Cook.” That warning comes just days after the Putnam County Sheriff's Office issued a similar advisory. Earlier report - Don't Fall For It: Scammers In …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Phone Scams Under Investigation In Area Phone Scams Under Investigation In Area
Phone Scams Under Investigation In Area Residents in the area are being warned to look out for potential phone scammers. The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office said it has seen an uptick in attempted scams in the area, including two instances where would-be fraudsters posed as members of law enforcement. “In some cases the perpetrators have tried, sometimes successfully, to use the victim’s emotions about a loved one in trouble to get money,” read the sheriff's office said. “It’s common for the perpetrators of these scams to try to get money by telling people that one of their relatives has been seriously hurt or is in jail, and …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
COVID-19: Don't Fall For These Vaccine-Related Scams, Police Say COVID-19: Don't Fall For These Vaccine-Related Scams, Police Say
Covid-19: Don't Fall For These Vaccine-Related Scams, Police Say The rise in Americans going out and getting the COVID-19 vaccine has also brought about a rise in the number of opportunistic scammers looking to take advantage of the pandemic, law enforcement officials are cautioning. An alert was issued by police in the area regarding COVID-19 vaccine scams that have been reported to law enforcement agencies across the country. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), scammers have been using telemarketing calls, text messages, social media platforms, and door-to-door visits to perpetrate COVID-…

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by Zak Failla
News
Scam Alert: Don't Fall For This Amazon Hoax Scam Alert: Don't Fall For This Amazon Hoax
Scam Alert: Don't Fall For This Amazon Hoax With the holiday seasons fast approaching, officials are warning of a “new phone scam that has been making the rounds targeting Amazon users. According to police, area residents have reported receiving an automated phone call from a fraudster claiming to be from Amazon in need of discussing a recent order. Officials said that the largest are instructed to press “1” to cancel the order or “2” to speak with a representative. No matter what button is pressed, the message states that the order is canceled and in order to fix it, the target must call an 800 number to speak with someone directly.…

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by Zak Failla
News
Warnings Issued For Text, TV 'Smishing' Scams Warnings Issued For Text, TV 'Smishing' Scams
Warnings Issued For Text, TV 'Smishing' Scams Officials are warning of new “smishing” scams that have been making the rounds. The Federal Trade Commission issued an alert cautioning consumers of new scams that have been using text messages, not the traditional emails. One such scam involves the fraudster offering to provide major savings on television services. The scams involve the victims sending back personal information, or infecting devices with malware. According to the Better Business Bureau, this new scheme is called “smishing” which stands for SMS fishing, as opposed to “phishing,” which involves email. “We’re kind of condit…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Two Charged With Scamming Area Couple Out Of Thousands Two Charged With Scamming Area Couple Out Of Thousands
Two Charged With Scamming Area Couple Out Of Thousands Two men are facing charges after duping an elderly couple out of thousands of dollars by pretending their grandson was in jail. New York State Police investigators from Orange County responded to a residence in Wawayanda earlier this year, for a report of a “grandparent bail bond scam.” Police said that the couple received a call from someone alleging to be their grandson, stating that he had been arrested and needed bail money.  The couple was then put into contact with an alleged attorney who advised that he needed $8,700 in cash to bail their grandson out of jail. They were t…

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by Zak Failla