Month: January 2021

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

PHOENIX, AZ—Shoppers looking for a good deal this holiday season, be on the lookout for scammers trying to steal a deal too! According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Arizona ranked 17 in the number of alleged scam victims reported in 2019, with 7,795 consumers claiming a reported total loss of more than $47 million. This year, FBI Phoenix wants local shoppers to enjoy a scam-free holiday season by remaining vigilant against the following schemes.

Online Shopping Scams: If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is! Scammers often offer amazing deals via phishing emails or advertisements. Such schemes may offer brand-name merchandise at extremely low prices or offer gift cards as an incentive. Other sites may offer products at a great price, but the products being sold are not the same as the products advertised. Victims may end up paying for an item, giving away personal information, and receive nothing in return except a compromised identity.

Social Media Scams: Consumers should beware of posts on social media sites that appear to offer vouchers or gift cards. Some may appear as holiday promotions or contests. Others may appear to be from known friends who have shared the link. Often, these scams lead consumers to participate in an online survey that is designed to steal personal information. If you click an ad through a social media platform, do your due diligence to check the legitimacy of the website before providing credit card or personal information.

Gift Card Scams: During the holiday season, consumers should be careful if someone asks them to purchase gift cards for them. In these scams, the victims receive either a spoofed email, a spoofed phone call, or a spoofed text from a person in authority requesting the victim purchase multiple gift cards for either personal or business reasons. The gift cards are then used to facilitate the purchase of goods and services, which may or may not be legitimate.

Payment Red Flags: Be cautious of sellers and websites that demand payment solely through gift cards. Scammers sometimes encourage shoppers to conduct wire transfers, allowing criminals to quickly receive illicit funds. Credit cards provide several layers of security against fraud and are typically the safest way to conduct online shopping.

Charity Scams: Charity-related frauds increase during the holidays as individuals seek to donate money to those less fortunate. Criminals use phone calls, email campaigns, and fake websites to solicit on behalf of fraudulent charities. Scammers target people who want to donate to charity, then hoard their well-intentioned donations while those most in need never see a dime.

Tips to protect yourself from holiday fraud schemes:

• Buy directly from a secure and reputable website.
• Beware of social media posts that appear to offer special vouchers or gift cards, or particularly low prices.
• Verify the legitimacy of buyers or sellers before making a purchase. If you’re using an online marketplace or auction website, check feedback ratings.
• Avoid solicitations or ads with misspelled words, broken English, or requests to pay for your order with a gift card.
• Track your order through your original confirmation email.
• Check credit card statements routinely. If possible, set up credit card transaction auto alerts or check your balance after every online purchase. It is important to check statements after the holiday season, as many fraudulent charges can show up even several weeks later.
• Ensure a site is secure and reputable before providing credit card number online. Don’t trust a site just because it claims to be secure.
• Be cautious of emails claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders and scan all attachments for viruses if possible.
• Verify requests for personal information from any business or financial institution by contacting them using the main contact information on their official website.
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of the country.
• Only donate to known and trusted charities. Legitimate charities do not solicit donations via money transfer services or ask for donations via gift cards.
• Make contributions directly, rather than through an intermediary, and pay via credit card or check. Avoid cash donations, if possible.
• Beware of organizations with copycat names similar to reputable charities; most legitimate charity websites use .org (not .com).

If you suspect you’ve been victimized, contact your financial institution immediately, then inform your local law enforcement agency or FBI Phoenix at (623)466-1999. Victims are also encouraged to file a complaint with the FBI at ic3.gov.

For more information on Internet scams and how you can protect yourself visit https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/on-the-Internet

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

PHOENIX, AZ—The Federal Bureau of Investigation Phoenix Division wants to warn the public about “virtual kidnapping” extortion calls happening in Arizona.

FBI Phoenix has recently received reports where victims are getting calls from criminals claiming to have kidnapped their loved ones and threatening to harm them unless a ransom is paid. Sometimes a female can be heard crying or screaming in the background of the call. No one is physically kidnapped in these extortion schemes, but they are often traumatic for everyone involved. Many of the calls originate in Mexico.

Law enforcement agencies have been warning the public of virtual kidnapping schemes for some time. Although virtual kidnapping takes on many forms, it is always an extortion scheme—one that often tricks victims over the phone into paying a ransom to free a loved one they believe is being threatened with violence or death when in fact the virtual kidnappers have not actually kidnapped anyone. Instead, through deceptions and threats, they coerce victims to pay a quick ransom before the scheme falls apart. On average, families send thousands of dollars to the scammers before contacting law enforcement.

The FBI believes most virtual kidnappings for ransom remain unreported. We hope to raise awareness about this most recent scheme and equip individuals with the knowledge they need to avoid becoming a victim of this crime. Although the FBI does not keep national statistics of virtual kidnapping for ransom, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) in 2019, extortion scams had the third highest victim count in the U.S., behind phishing scams, and non-payment/non-delivery scams. Arizona had 1,092 victims of extortion in 2019.

If you get this type of call, whether you think it’s an extortion scheme or a legitimate kidnapping, contact law enforcement immediately.

To avoid becoming a victim of this extortion scheme, look for the following possible indicators:

• Calls are usually made from an outside area code
• May involve multiple phone calls
• Calls do not come from the kidnapped victim’s phone
• Callers go to great lengths to keep you on the phone
• Callers prevent you from calling or locating the “kidnapped” victim
• Ransom money is only accepted via wire transfer service

If you receive a phone call from someone who demands payment of a ransom for a kidnapped victim, the following should be considered:

• Stay Calm
• Slow the situation down
• Avoid sharing information about you or your family during the call.
• Request to speak to the victim directly; ask for “proof of life.”
• Listen carefully to the voice of the kidnapped victim and ask questions only the victim would know.
• Request the kidnapped victim call back from his/her cell phone.
• Attempt to text or contact the victim via social media.
• Attempt to physically locate the victim.
• Don’t agree to pay a ransom, by wire or in person. Delivering money in person can be dangerous.

FBI Phoenix is committed to working with our state and local law enforcement officers to increase public awareness regarding the threat posed by virtual kidnappings and will continue to investigate and refer these types of cases for prosecution.

For more information on virtual kidnapping for ransom schemes, read here: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/virtual-kidnapping.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

On November 28, 2020, Erine Aisha Robertson, 36, attempted to pass through a TSA checkpoint at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with intent to board a commercial aircraft while carrying a folding knife concealed in her bra. Robertson was charged in a criminal complaint filed in federal court, with Attempting to Carry a Weapon on an Aircraft in violation of 49 U.S.C Section 46505(b)(1). Complaints and indictment are only accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for Arizona at http://www.azd.uscourts.gov/ or on PACER https://www.pacer.gov/, magistrate number: 2:20-mj-00306

The FBI would like to thank the Transportation Security Administration, Phoenix Police Department, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, and the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, for their work on this case.

Per policy, the FBI does not release booking photos.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

On November 10, 2020, Rae Ashley Paya, an enrolled member of the Hualapai Indian Tribe was indicted for kidnapping, robbery, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and assault with a dangerous weapon that occurred on September 27, 2020, within the confines of the Hualapai Indian Reservation. Paya was arrested by Hualapai Nation Police Department and the FBI on November 5, 2020.

Paya was also charged in a criminal complaint filed in federal court. Complaints and indictments are only accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for Arizona at http://www.azd.uscourts.gov/ or on PACER https://www.pacer.gov/, magistrate number: 3:20-cr-08134

The FBI would like to thank the Hualapai Nation Police Department, and United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, for their work on this case.