Pittsburgh-area leaders share scam warning signs
On Friday, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and other leaders joined the Shaler Police Department in describing the warning signs to look out for.
How to protect yourself from scams
"It's much more sophisticated with AI, computers and things," said Robert Cessar, who retired after working 38 years with the U.S. Department of Justice. "The most important thing is don't act irrationally. Stop, pause and think."
Scams come in the form of phone calls, text messages, emails and letters in your mailbox.
"These scammers are very good. That's the word to use, they're very good, very convincing," Shaler Police Chief Sean Frank said.
Some of the most common scams happening right now include "grandparent" scams, fake tech support and gift card scams. The goal is always the same: to steal money or personal information.
"If it's gift cards, nobody collects debts with gift cards except scammers," said Chief Frank. "If you get a call and you think it's a grandchild, verify that with someone else in the family."
The bottom line: don't believe everything you hear or read. Take time to verify the information before reacting.
"If you get a call and you don't know the number, don't answer. If you get a text, don't reply," said Cessar.
Law enforcement urges people to verify information, avoid suspicious links and question anything that seems off. Because once the money is gone, it's likely gone for good.
"In most cases, the money is out of the country. It's gone," said Cessar.
And even if you think it's a small scam, report it. Officials say every report helps track fraud and prevent future crimes.
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