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NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Naperville Police Department has issued a warning to residents about a recent surge in cryptocurrency scams.
Since Feb. 29, four cases have been reported, double the usual monthly average. Victims, ranging from 45 to 83 years old, fell prey to various tactics including romance, hacker impersonation, false arrest claims, and sextortion.
Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres emphasized the importance of skepticism toward online contacts, advising against sending money to strangers.
"Unfortunately, when money is converted to cryptocurrency and transferred to a scammer, it’s very difficult to track that money and the odds of getting it back are very small," said Arres. "We want people to remember that if someone you haven’t met is asking or demanding that you immediately pay them with cryptocurrency, a wire transfer or a gift card, don’t do it."
The Federal Trade Commission provided the following tips to avoid scams.
- Do not give your personal or financial information in response to a request you didn’t expect. Honest organizations won’t call, email, or text to ask for your personal information, like your Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers. If you get an email or text message from a company you do business with and you think it’s real, it’s still best not to click on any links or call a number they provided. Instead, contact them using information you find on a company website you know is trustworthy.
- Resist the pressure to act immediately. Honest businesses will give you time to make a decision. Anyone who pressures you to pay or give them your personal information is a scammer.
- Know how scammers tell you to pay. Never pay someone who insists that you can only pay with cryptocurrency, a wire transfer service, a payment app, or a gift card. Also, never deposit a check and send money back to someone.
- Stop and talk to someone you trust. Before you do anything else, tell someone — a friend, a family member, a neighbor — what happened. Talking about it could help you identify a scam.
If targeted, residents are advised to contact the Naperville Police Department at (630) 420-6665.