The Yates County Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents of an escalating number of scams specifically targeting senior citizens. Victims have reported computer “pop-up” messages insinuating involvement in crimes ranging from pornography to embezzlement.
These deceptive alerts, often masquerading as official police or federal investigations, coax individuals to pay specified amounts via methods like wire transfers, apps, or even direct cash withdrawals. In some instances, victims have been deceived out of thousands of dollars. Sheriff Ron Spike cautions that alongside computer scams, there have been reports of fraudulent phone calls and emails making similar false claims, sometimes suggesting that money is needed to bail out a family member.
Sheriff Spike strongly advises residents to refrain from providing financial information or making payments without verifying the legitimacy of such requests. He emphasized that renowned companies or agencies, including Microsoft, would never operate in such a manner. If encountering such deceptive communications, individuals should contact local law enforcement or confide in a trusted family member. Once money is lost to these scams, recovering it is a daunting challenge, especially since many of these con artists operate from overseas. For more guidance and resources, the Office of the Aging and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offer assistance to those in need.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].