A loved one needing bond money to get out of jail.
A friend held hostage by a Mexican cartel.
An internet account hijacked to buy pornography.
These are among the bogus claims fraudsters have used recently to scam Troy residents out of thousands of dollars, police said.
The priciest loss reported lately: A 46-year-old man fell for a ruse from someone he befriended on Facebook — who he didn’t know — and was convinced to convert $160,000 cash into cryptocurrency, police said. But when he tried to withdraw his funds, he was told he had to deposit another $113,000 to access the currency. He refused, realizing he’d been scammed.
Other cases, according to the Troy Police Department, include:
• A 78-year-old woman was tricked into giving $8,400 cash to a man after receiving a phone call from someone stating the money was needed for bond money for her son who was jailed after a car accident. The scammer managed to have the phone call falsely show the caller ID of the woman’s son. As instructed, the woman called another number that was purportedly a lawyer on the case, who arranged for a man to pick up the cash at her home. She then got another phone call asking for $9,200 so her son could be released, but at that point realized it was a scam and called police.
• A 29-year-old reported being contacted by someone who said his friend was being held hostage by a Mexican cartel and would be killed unless he paid them. After sending $330 in cash via MoneyGram, he received threats against himself and his family so he sent $350 more.
• A 20-year-old was tricked into providing $5,500 in gift cards, including their PINs, due to a pop-up scam reporting that her computer was infected with a virus and providing a purported Microsoft IT number for help. She called the number and spoke to someone claiming to be Microsoft tech support who convinced her to provide the gift cards and PINS to reverse the pornography purchase charges.
• A 32-year-old told police she sent $5,000 in gift cards and codes for $1,000 worth to a scammer before realizing she’d been tricked. It began with a phone call from someone claiming to be with Amazon, asking about a recent order. But the victim hadn’t placed the order, so she was transferred to another to remedy the error — and was told that she had to send the gift cards and codes to protect her money.
“We continue to see scammers using fear, urgency, and technology to trick victims out of their money,” Troy Police Lt. Ben Hancock told The Oakland Press. “Whether it’s a fake emergency involving a loved one, a pop-up virus warning, or someone posing as a government or tech support representative, these scams are designed to pressure people into acting quickly without thinking.”
Hancock urges the community to “stay cautious.”
“Legitimate agencies will never ask for cash, cryptocurrency or gift cards over the phone,” he said. “If you’re unsure, hang up and call a trusted source or the Troy Police Department before taking any action.”
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