The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office would like to take this opportunity to warn the residents of Dutchess County and surrounding areas about scams that once again seem to be on the rise.
Scams are ways in which criminals will attempt to get money from people by contacting them and making up elaborate stories. In some cases the perpetrators have tried, sometimes successfully, to use the victim’s emotions about a loved one in trouble to get money. 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 that they need money right away. In many cases they will pose as a law enforcement official or another relative to try and convince the victim that it’s legitimate.
Lately there have been two main scams circulating. In the first one the perpetrators pose as law enforcement or corrections officials and tell the victim that a loved one has been arrested and is in jail. They proceed to tell the victim that their loved one can be released from jail if they pay a sum of money, and then once the money is paid it’s discovered that the loved one was never incarcerated to begin with. This scam preys on emotions and is common with older victims being told that their grandchildren are in jail.
The second scam, unrelated to the first one above, is common during the holiday season and occurs when the perpetrators pose as someone familiar to the victim and ask the victim to purchase gift cards for them in exchange for reimbursement. Of course reimbursement is never made once the cards are purchased and turned over to the suspects.
The Sheriff’s Office has identified at least two (2) victims that have each lost several thousands of dollars as a result of the aforementioned scams.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to offer the following general tips to help people avoid these scams:
- If you’re contacted by someone you don’t know asking for money, for any reason, it’s very likely a scam.
- If you receive correspondence from someone that you don’t know and they instruct you to keep the matter confidential and not tell anyone about it, it’s most likely a scam.
- Emails or text messages that contain misspelled words, grammatical errors, don’t make sense, or are sent at odd hours – for example the middle of the night - are most likely scams.
- Legitimate law enforcement would not attempt to satisfy a warrant or make promises to avoid prosecution by soliciting money.
- If you receive an email or text about an order you didn’t place or asking you to send money call the company using a legitimate number. DO NOT follow the instructions in the email, click on any links in the email, or call the number provided in the email.
- If someone you don’t know asks you to purchase merchandise, transfer money, provide bank information, provide remote computer access, enter a code, or click on a link given to you by them use caution as it is likely a scam.
- Do not meet up with someone that you don’t know; if you’re asked to do this it is surely a scam, and it is very dangerous as well.
- If someone calls you and tells you that a relative has been hurt or is in jail, confirm it first before sending any money. Call other relatives or a legitimate law enforcement agency for confirmation before any money is sent. If they’re posing as a relative, try and contact that relative for confirmation.
- Sending money overseas is especially risky; use extreme caution.
- Ask the person for their call back number and ask to speak to their supervisor to confirm the info; if it’s a scam they will most likely hang up at this point and the number they give you will be bogus.
- If a loved one has recently passed away be wary; in some cases perpetrators have even preyed on victims by searching through the obituaries and calling surviving loved ones. If you get calls from people you don’t know soon after someone passes away, be careful and confirm it before you send any money.
- In some cases someone will call and tell the victim that they’ve won money, but to “process the claim” they need to first send money. Beware this is most definitely a scam and don’t send any money – you should never have to pay money to claim a prize. If it seems too good to be true, it most likely is.
- If there’s any doubt about a phone call/email/letter you’ve received contact the Sheriff’s Office before sending any money.
- Scams tend to increase during the holiday season, so be especially alert for them during those times.
It is very important not to send any money to anyone that you don’t know until you’ve confirmed the situation through an independent source and feel comfortable with it. If it’s a scam once the money is sent it’s very difficult, and most times impossible, to get it back. If anyone thinks they may have been the victim of a scam they are encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 845-486-3800 or via the tipline at 845-605-CLUE or dcsotips@gmail.com.
