Real cases: How to avoid falling for financial scams
Stories by Wichita Eagle journalists, with AI summarization
Scammers use creative tactics to trick people and steal money or personal information. One common warning sign is anyone demanding payment over the phone, like scammers impersonating Wichita police officers or Sedgwick County deputies and threatening arrest unless you pay with gift cards or cryptocurrency.
Deceptive emails that mimic banks or streaming services, such as the fake "activity alert" or subscription notice, are also used to gather your account details. Watch out for official-looking mailers such as the "County Deed Records" postcard, and never click suspicious text links like those pretending to collect toll payments for DriveKS. Always verify requests independently and report scams to authorities if you spot these red flags.
'Many victims will never fully recoup losses to their life savings and retirement funds.' | Published May 23, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jacob Unruh
He has been ordered to pay more than $171,000 after his work on a couple's house fell apart. | Published June 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Michael Stavola
Several Kansas county sheriff's offices are warning residents about scammers impersonating officers and demanding money. | Published July 10, 2024 | Read Full Story by Eduardo Castillo
KTA said it learned about the scam Tuesday afternoon. | Published September 17, 2024 | Read Full Story by Michael Stavola
Here's how to avoid being scammed. | Published September 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Eduardo Castillo
The Sedgwick County district attorney has a new warning about scam emails after he received one. | Published December 31, 2024 | Read Full Story by Amy Renee Leiker
Someone tricked parties involved in a property sale with fake email addresses that were so close to the real ones no one noticed until it was too late. | Published January 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Amy Renee Leiker
People experiencing cognitive decline are especially vulnerable because the mailers 'intentionally prey on their anxieties, vulnerabilities and ability to recall events,' the DA's Office says. | Published April 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Amy Renee Leiker
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
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26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Real cases: How to avoid falling for financial scams
Stories by Wichita Eagle journalists, with AI summarization Scammers use creative tactics to trick people and steal money or personal information. One common warning sign is anyone demanding payment over the phone, like scammers impersonating Wichita police officers or Sedgwick County deputies and threatening arrest unless you pay with gift cards or cryptocurrency. Deceptive emails that mimic banks or streaming services, such as the fake "activity alert" or subscription notice, are also used to gather your account details. Watch out for official-looking mailers such as the "County Deed Records" postcard, and never click suspicious text links like those pretending to collect toll payments for DriveKS. Always verify requests independently and report scams to authorities if you spot these red flags. 'Many victims will never fully recoup losses to their life savings and retirement funds.' | Published May 23, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jacob Unruh He has been ordered to pay more than $171,000 after his work on a couple's house fell apart. | Published June 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Michael Stavola Several Kansas county sheriff's offices are warning residents about scammers impersonating officers and demanding money. | Published July 10, 2024 | Read Full Story by Eduardo Castillo KTA said it learned about the scam Tuesday afternoon. | Published September 17, 2024 | Read Full Story by Michael Stavola Here's how to avoid being scammed. | Published September 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Eduardo Castillo The Sedgwick County district attorney has a new warning about scam emails after he received one. | Published December 31, 2024 | Read Full Story by Amy Renee Leiker Someone tricked parties involved in a property sale with fake email addresses that were so close to the real ones no one noticed until it was too late. | Published January 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Amy Renee Leiker People experiencing cognitive decline are especially vulnerable because the mailers 'intentionally prey on their anxieties, vulnerabilities and ability to recall events,' the DA's Office says. | Published April 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Amy Renee Leiker The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
⚠️Scams to watch out for in 2025⚠️
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the amount of scams out there, it can be hard to keep track of which ones to watch out for. That's why FOX4 compiled a list of local and national scams that you should be aware of. These are the scams to watch out for in 2025: Most recently, Leavenworth County officials are warning residents of a phone scam. Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said scam callers posing as members of the sheriff's office are falsely claiming that residents have a warrant for missing jury duty. 'These scams can look very convincing,' Thompson said. 'The caller uses a number that appears to be from Tonganoxie and pretends to be from the sheriff's office, claiming there's a warrant for your arrest over missed jury duty.' He said you should always verify independently before responding to such calls. To verify, you can call the Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office at 913-724-1313. You can read more about this scam here. The Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA) warned Kansans of this scam back in September 2024. After nearly a year of warning travelers about the nationwide fraudulent texting scam, the KTA is once again urging Kansans to be extremely cautious if they receive a text message about unpaid tolls. 'We do not send unsolicited text messages about tolls,' said Donnell Brown, KTA's Senior Customer Service Manager. 'A person only receives a text if they have a DriveKS account and have signed up for text notifications in their account preferences. Then, the person is required to login to their DriveKS account to view their statement and/or pay a bill.' The texts urge quick action to avoid a penalty and includes a link or URL to a fake website that mimics the DriveKS toll payment site, or another toll payment site located elsewhere in the U.S. The KTA said these fraudulent texts (and instant messages) are being sent to random phone numbers with no regard to actual use of a toll road or ownership of a vehicle. Kansans who receive an unsolicited text message suggesting it is from KTA, the Kansas Department of Transportation (who does not collect tolls for any roadway) or another toll agency, should NOT click the link. Please report the text to the Federal Trade Commission and/or the Internet Crime Complaint Center at If payment information has been provided on a fraudulent web site, individuals are urged to contact their bank or credit card company immediately. More information is available on the KTA's website. Previous coverage Beware of text messages about unpaid tolls, FBI and state authorities warn Kansas Turnpike Authority warns of new text scam asking to pay for tolls The Missouri Department of Revenue in April warned Missourians of ongoing nationwide text scams. These texts are often threatening, claiming to be from the Missouri Department of Revenue or Department of Motor Vehicles, and often include a warning regarding unpaid traffic violations, outstanding toll charges or fines owed. The department said in April that it had received a large increase in calls reporting these phishing texts. You can read more about this scam here. Leavenworth, Kansas, officials in April warned residents of a viral social media scam. Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said scammers are falsely claiming that a female police officer is missing in Leavenworth. The fraudulent post claims 'officials' are looking for help finding a 27-year-old officer. The post further states the officer's vehicle was located 'last night' with her daughter inside and that the officer may be in grave danger. Officials said Facebook users across the country may have noticed the post circulating on various Facebook neighborhood groups. The Leavenworth County Attorney's Office is asking the community to remain vigilant and to rely on official sources for information regarding missing persons or public safety alerts. Read more about this scam here. The Johnson County Sheriff's Office said in April that a caller posing as Deputy Lewis has been leaving messages on voicemails, urging citizens to return a call regarding legal matters. If you get a call from the phone number 660-242-5181, be advised that this number is not associated with the sheriff's office. If you're not sure whether it's genuinely law enforcement reaching out, you can call the sheriff's office dispatch line at 660-747-5511 to verify if a deputy is trying to contact you. Read more about this scam here. The Cass County Health Department in March warned residents about a scam targeting Medicare recipients. Scammers posing as health department employees are attempting to steal personal information by claiming that they need Medicare details for verification or updated records, county officials said. These scammers are using phone calls to trick victims into providing sensitive information, which can then be used for fraudulent purposes – including identity theft and unauthorized Medicare claims. The Cass County Health Department said it will never call to request Medicare numbers without a scheduled appointment with a patient. For more information, you can contact 816-380-8425. To learn more about this scam, click here. Leavenworth County officials in February warned residents about a scam targeting family members of inmates. County Attorney Todd Thompson told FOX4 that the scammers have been calling family members of people who have recently appeared in court, or who have been listed as inmates on the Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office's online booking log. The scammer will tell the victim that the court has a smaller bond payment available to release their loved one. In this case, the caller explained a $4,500 fee would be used for an ankle bracelet, when the original bond was set at $50,000. Thompson said the caller in this case was using a 'ghost' phone number and that they were asking for the victim's banking information. This was the first time Thompson or anyone in Leavenworth County had heard of the scheme. To learn more about this scam and how to protect yourself, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
KCK man killed following head-on crash on I-70 in Leavenworth County
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City, Kansas man is dead following a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 70 in Leavenworth County on Wednesday morning. The crash was reported just before 8:30 a.m. on westbound I-70 near the Lawrence service area. Racist flyers posted in Northland neighborhood where teen killed The Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA) reports the driver of a Honda Civic was traveling eastbound and the driver of a Mercedes-Benz van was westbound when the driver of the Honda went off the road, bounced off two drain tubes, continued through a ditch and entered the westbound lanes. The KTA said the Honda crossed over both lanes and struck the Mercedes-Benz head on. Both drivers were taken to area hospitals with suspected serious injuries. A passenger in the Mercedes-Benz was pronounced dead and has been identified as 28-year-old Shane Greiner, of Kansas City, Kansas. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android The KTA reports everyone involved in the crash was wearing a seat belt. The crash remains under investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
