Month: June 2021

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News

People over 60 lost nearly $1 billion in online frauds and scams last year, according to a report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released today.

The sudden need to shop online and the fear of COVID-19 made older Americans even more of a target for scammers and criminals than they had been in the past.

For example, the pandemic required many older people to shop online for the first time, and non-delivery of goods was one of the common fraud schemes that older victims experienced, the report said.

“The combination of online shopping and social media creates easy venues for scammers to post false advertisements,” the report said. “Many victims report ordering items from links advertised on social media and either receiving nothing at all or receiving something completely unlike the advertised item.”

The most common scams against seniors in 2020 were:

1. Extortion
2. Non-Payment/Non-Delivery
3. Tech Support Fraud
4. Identity Theft

Why Older Adults are Vulnerable

As a growing part of the U.S. population, older people are an attractive target for fraudsters and scammers.

This demographic tends to have more financial stability, which makes them a target for criminals looking to make quick profit. Older Americans may be more easily intimidated or lonely, making it harder for them to get help.

Learn More and Protect Your Loved Ones

Older people may know to be wary of physical crimes (like always locking their doors). But they may not have the same level of awareness to protect themselves against scams. That’s why families and caregivers should be aware of the risks and let people know how to report suspected crimes.

The FBI and our partners work to investigate many scams and crimes against older people, but prevention and awareness are critical. Whether it’s tricking someone into becoming a money mule or trying to convince them they won a non-existent “lottery,” savvy criminals know how to prey on their victims.

On this World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, visit the FBI elder fraud page to learn about common fraud schemes that target older people as well as practical tips on how to protect yourself or your loved ones from scammers.

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

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has concluded its investigative assistance to the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) regarding the mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center on May 31, 2019, and has provided a final verbal briefing to the police department.

At the request of VBPD, the FBI provided significant law enforcement assistance to the police department’s response and investigation of the incident. In the immediate aftermath, the bureau deployed crisis management and operational personnel to assist with the local response. This included field Evidence Response Teams and experts from the FBI Laboratory who conducted a complex 10-day evidence recovery operation and forensic investigation of the crime scene in Municipal Center Building 2, and specialists from the Victim Services Division who were deployed to support victims, family members, and others impacted by the incident. In support of the police department’s investigation, FBI agents conducted numerous victim and witness interviews, and computer experts examined digital evidence.

FBI Assessment of Attacker’s Motivation

As part of the investigative team’s effort to determine the shooter’s motivation for the workplace attack, VBPD requested assistance from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), based in Quantico, Virginia. BAU has completed its analysis of the information and evidence gathered throughout the investigation and shared its key findings with VBPD during the final briefing.

Following is the summary of BAU’s key findings:

1. BAU assesses the shooter was motivated by perceived workplace grievances, which he fixated on for years. BAU found the shooter struggled with how he perceived his own work performance and how others at work viewed him. The shooter’s inflated sense of self-importance contributed to this conflict and led him to believe he was unjustly and repeatedly criticized and slighted. Violence was viewed by the shooter as a way to reconcile this conflict and restore his perverted view of justice.
2. BAU assesses the shooter’s perceived grievances began taking shape as early as 2014, and he purposely isolated himself by disengaging from relationships to conceal his intentions. For this reason, BAU assesses that no individual or group was in a position to see the confluence of behaviors that may have forewarned the attack.
3. BAU assesses that the shooter suffered from significant mental health stressors which appear to have contributed in part to his decompensation in advance of the attack; however mental health stressors alone cannot explain the Virginia Beach attack.

BAU further assesses that the Virginia Beach Municipal Center shooter is similar in many ways to other active shooters studied by the FBI. Mass shootings are a predatory act, generally with planned and purposeful violence intended for an identified target, person, place, or institution.

It is important to note that only the shooter knew the real reason why he committed this horrific act of violence; however, at this time, the FBI is confident, based on evidence collected, that the above assessment is accurate.

About BAU Analysis

BAU provides investigative support and post-attack behavioral analysis of mass violence at the request of law enforcement agencies to assist with their investigation of an attack and determine motive. BAU conducted a comprehensive assessment of the Virginia Beach Municipal Center shooting at the request of VBPD. An extensive review of all available evidence, combined with the team’s experience, training, and resources, allowed BAU to gain a more thorough understanding of motivations for the attack. The purpose of this type of analysis is to help law enforcement better understand mass violence, and to use the lessons learned from each incident to prevent future incidents from occurring. 

The members of BAU are aware of the horrific impact of this incident and extend our deepest sympathies to the victims, survivors, families, and community. Our hope is that by helping develop a better understanding of why people commit these horrible acts of violence, we can ultimately help prevent future tragedies.

FBI Resources

The FBI’s response to the Virginia Beach Municipal Center shooting was led by the Norfolk Field Office and included assets from multiple field offices and headquarters divisions. Hundreds of FBI personnel responded, including special agents, task force officers, analysts, professional staff, and chaplains. The response also included numerous specialty teams such as the Evidence Response Team, Laboratory Shooting Reconstruction Team, Computer Analysis Response Team, Bomb Technicians, Behavioral Analysis Unit, and Victim Assistance.

The FBI personnel and resources came from the following field offices and headquarters components:

FBI Field Offices

• Atlanta
• Baltimore
• Charlotte
• Norfolk
• Richmond
• Tampa
• Washington

FBI Headquarters

• Critical Incident Response Group
• Laboratory Division
• Operational Technology Division
• Victim Services Division

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

Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. This week: a look at how to help senior citizens build a digital defense against elder fraud.

Sweepstakes scams may make you think you are a big winner when, in fact, you could end up losing everything. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center says that more than 3,700 senior victims reported losses of $38 million to this kind of scam in 2020. Here’s how it works: the bad guy convinces the senior that she has won money in a sweepstakes or foreign lottery. The fraudsters often claim to be an attorney, customs official, or lottery representative. They make an effort to appear official and reputable. The scammer tells the victim that she has to pay some kind of fee before receiving a prize… a fee for shipping or insurance costs, customs duties, or taxes.

Through the course of this scam, the criminal will often find and use personal information about the victim in an effort to gain her trust. The scammer knows that older victims are more likely to be polite, trusting, and willing to believe those in a position of authority. The second kind of elder fraud we are talking about today involves telemarketing scams… scams where the bad guy convinces the victim he can make money fast or avoid some legal or tax problem. These kinds of scams have been around forever, but evolving technology makes them even harder to spot. Criminals buy and sell marketing lists and personal information so they can have as many details as possible about their victims before they make contact. In some cases, they take the time to build a relationship with the senior so the senior is less likely to look for outside guidance before sending money to the scammer.

Here’s how you can protect yourself and your family members:

• Do not give out personal info by phone, mail, or the Internet unless you initiate the contact.
• Always use publicly available sources to confirm you are using legitimate contact numbers and addresses for a business or agency.
• Do not pay for fees or services with a gift card. Legitimate services will not request payment like this.
• Be wary if someone tells you that you have to pay immediately or the offer will disappear.
• Be wary if you have to pay any fee or provide bank account information for a “free” gift, vacation, or prize.

As the old adage goes—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If you have been victimized by an online scam, report your suspicious contacts to the FBI. You can file an online report at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your FBI local office.