Police and Courts
Todd M. Nehls | Thanks For Listening
Scams still find easy prey
Law enforcement and media outlets often provide public service campaigns to warn people about scams. However, with each passing day, law enforcement is contacted by yet another victim, humiliated because they "thought they knew better." Many of these scams center on money, though seldom successful, when they are they really rake it in. So let's talk about the most common scams we are seeing today.
My favorite is the "grandparent trap." It will be a weekend and you receive a call from a person you identifies themselves as a police officer from a big city in another state. They tell you your grandchild is in trouble, possibly arrested or mugged, and needs money for bail or airfare home. The person tells you to act fast and Western Union money and they promise to take your grandchild to the airport so they get home safe. You quickly send the cash only to find out later your grandchild was never in the city or state much less in trouble and needing airfare.
Next on my list is the Craigslist scam. You sell unwanted items on the website and soon find a willing buyer. The buyer sends you a money order made out for three times the amount of purchase. No problem states your buyer, "just send me a money order back in the amount of the overpayment." By the time you find out the buyer's money order was a fake, they cashed your good one.
Most popular are the Nigerian scams. You will receive an email telling you about great wealth the person inherited and is looking for your help to facilitate the transfer of money to the United States for which you will be compensated. First clue it is a scam - "nothing is spelt write." Second clue - there are businesses who can facilitate such transactions, they are called banks. Why would they need you?
We all dream of winning the lottery don't we? Well, I've won at least 10 over the years amounting to tens of millions of dollars. So why am I not living the life of a multi-millionaire? Easy answer, I haven't paid the necessary taxes/insurance to the phantom lottery commission so they can send me my winnings. You may ask why not? There is no lottery, no winnings, it's all a scam. Who wins lotteries they don't play? Yet people fall for them each and every day and by the time we find out it is too late; your money is gone. Just recently a citizen fell victim to this scam and was directed to send $25,000 cash in a shoe box to pay for insurance and taxes on their winnings. They sent it.
We can help each other to ensure we never have to make a report of being scammed. If you have parents who are elderly, monitor their finances as they are most vulnerable. The Internet has truly expanded the reach, quickly connecting scammers with millions of potential victims. From dating networks to fraudulent websites, there is no shortage of Internet crime, no shortage of bad people trying to gain your ear, tug at your heartstrings and eventually walk away with all your money. If all else fails, listen to grandpa - if it sounds too good to be true, it is.
From the office of Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls, tnehls@co.dodge.wi.us or @sheriffnehls on Twitter.- Be safe, not sorry
- Don't jump to judge
- Citizen complaints are taken seriously
- Cycle season has begun
- Public safety connectivity on horizon
- Geocaching generates calls for service
- When you call 911, know your surroundings
- Budget Repair Bill and employees provide fiscal relief
- Prompt response Is paramount
- License plate not necessarily proper registration
- Is your blinker on?
- Code Red
- A safe fall for all
- K-9 units fielded
- Are you ready for concealed carry?
- Ignition interlock 101
- In a matter of seconds …
- Know your N-1-1s
E-mail Newsletter
Top stories from the Lake Country area. Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings.
Enter your e-mail address above and click "Sign Up Now!" to begin receiving your e-mail newsletter
Get the Newsletter!
If I could travel in time ...Judging is currently in progress with an anticipated publication date of June 3 for winning entries.
Lake Country residents share their views on news, happenings and current events.
LivingLakeCountry.com features more than a dozen community bloggers - a group of volunteer conversation leaders who are up on the latest topics and never short on an opinion. Just a few are pictured here. Check out the rest and see what they have to say!
View All Blogs
Discussion Guidelines
Do you want to become a Community Blogger? LivingLakeCountry.com welcomes your thoughts and opinions. Contact us for more information:
I want to blog
Posted Friday, May 18 |
|
Photo of the Week by Todd Ponath: ROCKIN' IT - Fred Eide, left, and his daughter Ashley, of Eide Painting and Sandblasting, use spray guns to paint the individual rock shapes on the underside of the I-94 overpass at Highway P in Oconomowoc Wednesday, May 16. Each "rock" is painted individually and then speckled with black paint to make it look like granite.
News or Feature Story of the Week by Andrea Budde: Bigfoot sighting in Eagle turns out to be less than meets the eye
Sports Story of the Week by JR Radcliffe: Netters win 'unofficial' titles conference
Page or layout design of the week by Lisa Leonard: Drop a line and relax
|
MORE: See full gallery
SUBMIT: Post Your Photos now
Do you have news or an event that you would like to share with the community? Whether it's a community organization, a business, a local school, or a notable neighbor, we'd love to hear about it!!
- Discover Composting
- Christ the King Church of Delafield Resumes Summer Service Schedule
- Greendale Schools June 1 Celebration of Education
- “Savvy Social Security Planning” Seminar to Detail Strategies for Maximizing Benefits
- U.S. Cellular Hosting Free Device Workshop
- Tour Our Very Special Gardens - free - June 25
- Host Daniela from Mexico at Oconomowoc HS
- Very Special Garden Tour - Free - June 23 and June 25
- Wisconsin Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Hits Home Stretch of Annual Milwaukee Man & Woman of the Year Campaign
- Neuroscience Nurse Appreciation Ceremony
MORE: See the rest of Your Stories
SUBMIT: Post Your Story now
Information on Mukwonago Publications
We encourage your comments but will strive to remove discussion that contains personal attacks, racial slurs, profanity or other inappropriate material as outlined in our guidelines. We post-moderate comments on most content, but may choose to pre-moderate some comments so please be patient if you don't see yours appear right way. We also ask for your help by reporting comments you think are inappropriate.
Please login or register to post a comment.