Scammers new tactics and threats
A warning of a new phone scam in which the victim is sent disturbing pictures and then threatened with a text message that reads, “You owe some money.”
Cape Coral, Florida police reported the scammer followed the text with pictures of dead bodies. “Most scammers want you to take action quickly. So if you just take a step back, take a beat. Give it a minute, think it through. Do you know this person? Have you ever talked to them before? Does this sound logical to you? If it smells fishy, it is fishy,” said Christian Wartchow, CEO of CyberSecure IT Solutions.
The swindlers said they’d show up at the victim’s house. “If they’re threatening to come to visit you, even if it’s kind of an undertone threat, it’s always best to call law enforcement,” said Wartchow.
There are certain age groups or demographics that are targeted? “Scammers of all types typically target folks that are 50 to 90 years old,” Wartchow said. “Typically, because of the psychological manipulation of either fear or greed or wanting to help, these scammers can be very, very convincing.”
Wartchow suggests blocking these numbers. “Block caller on iPhone, block caller on Android phone, and block that number that will prevent them from texting or calling,” he said.