BARNEGAT – A recent presentation by the Barnegat Police Department on how to identify and avoid scams proved to be more than just informative. For a local resident, it was the realization that she was likely in the middle of being targeted by one.
As she listened to the materials introduced by Detective Robert Armstrong and Detective Lauren Keilitz, one of the attendees revealed a personal experience.
Before coming to the meeting, a pop-up message appeared on the woman’s computer, claiming it was infected and displaying a phone number for “assistance.” The message, designed to mimic a legitimate tech company like Microsoft, seemed convincing. Although not requesting money, the caller on the other end convinced the woman to grant them remote access to her computer and instructed her to keep it powered on for two days without using other devices.
The woman’s experience directly correlated with the presentation’s content on tech support scams, alerting them to the potential danger. Recognizing the red flags, the two Barnegat detectives advised the presumed victim to halt communication with the caller. They recommended she visit her local bank to ensure her accounts weren’t compromised.
Detective Lauren Keilitz spoke to residents about identifying and avoiding scams. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
According to statistics provided by the Barnegat Police Department, reported scam cases have been on the rise in recent years, with 170 cases documented in 2022, escalating to 205 in 2023, and already reaching 56 cases thus far in 2024. Nationally, the Federal Trade Commission reports staggering figures, with fraudsters tricking roughly 690,000 adults into giving them money through scams in 2023, resulting in a total loss of $10 billion.
However, the true extent of the problem may be far more significant, as many victims hesitate to report incidents out of embarrassment or shame.
“With the constant rise of internet artificial intelligence and all the different things you’re seeing out there in the news, it’s only going to get worse – so prevention is key,” said Captain Andrew Parsley. “We’re going to try to stop it before it’s a problem and before anybody loses anything.”
Armstrong emphasized the insidious tactics employed by scammers, who prey on individuals’ trust and emotions, often targeting vulnerable populations such as seniors. He underscored the importance of vigilance in combating such threats, urging residents to safeguard their personal information diligently.
“People who are proactive in their lives and pay their bills can be a target because of these things,” shared Keilitz. “They handle everything, and when they get a phone call that something has happened, they feel they need to correct it – and do the right thing.”
Many of the residents who attended the presentation were senior citizens. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
Some fraudsters impersonate IRS representatives, claiming that taxes were not paid due to a supposed mistake by the victim’s accountant. Others resort to threatening tactics, such as falsely asserting that utilities will be disconnected unless an immediate payment is made. These calls often originate from seemingly legitimate sources but are, in fact, part of elaborate scams.
“The grandparent scam was big, especially about a year or two ago,” Armstrong said. “These were originally out of the Dominican Republic, where someone was calling random people and preying on their emotions.”
This tactic involves impersonating a grandchild, or other loved one in distress, claiming to be in an accident or needing bail money. These include requests for large amounts of cash, claims of bail money being needed (which is not the case in New Jersey), and the use of courier services to collect the money.
Scammers can now use artificial intelligence to mimic voices. They create a sense of urgency and may even insist that payment be made by gift cards.
Attendees at the session were advised to exercise caution when dealing with unrecognized phone numbers and suspicious emails. Even seemingly legitimate emails, with convincing logos and sender information, may be designed to trick recipients into giving sensitive information or engaging in fraudulent activities.
“I remember there was a Facebook scam telling people to call a phone number because their account was hacked,” said Armstrong. “We can’t talk to someone from Facebook when we’re investigating a case. There is no number for Facebook.”
“The scam was so good that when I googled the number, it came up as Facebook,” Armstrong continued. “Keep an eye on that. If you do a Google search and it says sponsored, they’re paying for that.”
One of the most troubling things about scams is that they often originate outside of the country. Therefore, it’s difficult for authorities to prosecute the individuals behind these types of criminal activity.
Captain Andrew Parsley introduced the presentation and said it is the first in a series that will be open to area residents. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
Scams And Protective Measures
The dozens of residents who attended the presentation were predominately senior citizens. For many, the presentation was informative and included details of other prevalent scams, including:
Romance scams: Fraudsters create fake online profiles and develop emotional connections with victims, often claiming to be overseas for work or military service. They exploit loneliness and manipulate victims into sending large sums of money for supposed emergencies or travel expenses.
Random Messages: Unsolicited texts or messages on social media platforms should also send off alerts. Scammers may initiate conversations by pretending to be a forgotten acquaintance or someone seeking a simple favor. Their goal is to build rapport and create a sense of trust, eventually leading to requests for personal information or financial assistance.
Hacked Accounts: Scammers may use various methods of communication, claiming someone’s account has been hacked and requires a payment to recover. This may happen with bank or social media accounts. Legitimate companies won’t demand money to restore access to free accounts. Those who suspect their accounts are compromised should contact the platform directly using verified methods (e.g., website login, official phone number).
Sextortion: Perpetrators of sextortion often manipulate victims into sending compromising photos or videos, exploiting their emotions and threatening severe consequences if demands are not met. Other victims who have visited adult websites can be threatened with legal jeopardy and subject to extortion attempts.
Marketplace or Concert Tickets: Fraudsters may advertise discounted concert tickets or even sell cars or other merchandise with claims they need the money upfront.
Reduction in Bill Offers: Scammers may pose as companies like Comcast to offer bill reductions. One of the first clues to recognizing the issue is a request for an account number. If a legitimate source is calling, they should have the account number.
Cell Phone Delivery: Someone is selling tracking numbers for cell phone deliveries. Residents were advised to pick up their phones at local stores.
Solicitations from Unknown Sources: Scammers may pose as legitimate sounding sources to solicit money. Scenarios requesting donations online have sometimes proven to be fake as well.
The detectives reminded the audience that their signatures appear on public documents such as mortgages that are public documents. Scammers also review social media to target victims and learn a lot about them, which creates a sense of trust.
“When they make the calls, it feels like they know so much about you,” said Keilitz. “So, you feel like it has to be legitimate – but the information is very easy to find. These people make a full time job to scam people and take the time to do the research.”
Most scams involve gift card payments, while others require victims to pay in Bitcoin and cryptocurrency.
Residents should use multi-factor authentication as much as possible as a protective means against scammers. This involves sending a text message to a phone or other device with a code to ensure logins to accounts are secure.
Passwords should not include familiar information like social security numbers, birthdays, or children’s names. The use of phrases works for passwords because they’re easier to remember.
“Our IT guy taught me that saving your passwords on your devices, your computers and your cellphones,” said Sgt. Vincent Damiano. “Is actually a safe bet because they’re encrypted.”
“You can save it so that their computer auto-populates the password for you rather than you type it in,” Damiano added. “That’s safer than actually typing them in each time.”
The Barnegat Police Department plans to continue its community discussions on various safety concerns. The date of the next scheduled event has not yet been determined but will focus on traffic laws.
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