Category: Security News

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

The Southern Ohio Digital Organized Crime Group (SODOC-G), an FBI-led task force that investigates online criminal networks, is warning individuals of emerging scams targeting area residents. Criminal actors are engaging in romance scams, inheritance scams, and frauds purporting to help “those in need.” The fraudsters are asking victims to send money via wire transfers, prepaid debit and gift cards, and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), 284 residents in central and southern Ohio lost over $3.5 million in 2020 as a result of romance fraud and confidence scams.

“The FBI has seen an increase in the number of frauds and the amount of money lost over recent months,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman. “We want to help prevent these types of scams while working to investigate and prosecute those who are committing fraud and stealing the hard-earned savings of local residents.”

The most prevalent recent frauds are romance scams. These frauds often begin on legitimate dating, social media, or professional networking sites and the victim believes they are dating someone without actually meeting in person. The scammers carefully build relationships and emotional attachments before asking for money to assist with a fictitious financial need. A common theme in these scams is a reason why the perpetrator is unable to meet in person. Excuses like being overseas for work, in the military, or even quarantined for health reasons are some of the explanations utilized by the fraudsters.

Romance fraud and other scams are also consistently used to recruit money mules—people who may unwittingly be used to illegally transfer money obtained through criminal activity. Once a trust relationship is established, the scammers may ask the victim to open bank accounts, cash checks, purchase pre-paid debit cards, or use CVC kiosks (also called bitcoin ATMs or crypto ATMs, which are devices that allow users to exchange cash and virtual currency) to move money. Criminal networks use romance scam victims, acting as money mules, to victimize other individuals and businesses by laundering the proceeds of fraud.

Organized crime groups, especially those located in Africa, have capitalized on the pandemic and the emergence of cryptocurrency to quickly move funds acquired from the victims out of the United States.  

The FBI recommends the public take these measures to prevent becoming a victim:

• Be cautious of online relationships with people you have not met in person.
• Never send money or personal information to anyone you have only communicated with online or through texts.
• Go slow and ask a lot of questions. Be very suspicious if the individual promises to meet in person or via video chat, but always comes up with excuses why they cannot meet.

Any individual who believes they may be a target of this type of fraud should stop talking to the person involved, not send money, maintain communications and receipts (chats, texts, emails, etc.), notify the bank and the service used to make any financial transactions, contact law enforcement, and report the incident to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

Additional information and resources on romance scams are available at fbi.gov/romancescams and the FTC’s website.

Participating members in the Southern Ohio Digital Organized Crime Group (SODOCG) include the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), Middletown Police Department, Mason Police Department, Cincinnati Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counterdrug program, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

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

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Zachariah Juwaun Shorty.

On July 25, 2020, Shorty was found deceased on a dirt pathway in a field in Nenahnezad, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation.

The cause of death was gunshot wounds.

He was last seen on July 21, 2020, in the area of the Journey Inn in Farmington, New Mexico.

Shorty, who lived in Kirtland, New Mexico, was 23 years old at the time.

The Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations is assisting in this investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or go online at tips.fbi.gov.

An FBI poster with photos and a physical description of Shorty is available at: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/zachariah-juwaun-shorty

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

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, the Albuquerque FBI Division wants to remind the public to be aware of online romance scams, also called confidence fraud.

In this type of fraud, scammers take advantage of people looking for romantic partners on dating websites, apps, or social media, with the ultimate goal of financially exploiting the victims.

The consequences of these scams are often financially and emotionally devastating to victims; they rarely get their money back and may not have the ability to recover from the financial loss.

“Social media has become a popular place to meet people, especially when COVID-19 restrictions make face-to-face gatherings difficult,” said James Langenberg, special agent in charge of the Albuquerque FBI Division. “Unfortunately, criminals know that’s where they can find victims, too. Anyone looking for love in cyberspace should make sure they keep their feet on the ground by educating themselves about the risks.”

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which provides the public with a means of reporting Internet-facilitated crimes, romance scams result in greater financial losses to victims when compared to most other online crimes.

In 2020, almost 24,000 complaints categorized as romance scams were reported to IC3, and the losses associated with those complaints exceeded $605 million.

In New Mexico, the IC3 received 189 complaints from victims reporting almost $5.36 million in losses related to romance scams.

Victims may be hesitant to report being taken advantage of due to embarrassment, shame, or humiliation.

It’s important to remember, romance scams can happen to anyone at any time.

The criminals who carry out romance scams are experts at what they do. If you develop a romantic relationship with someone you meet online, consider the following:

Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the material has been used elsewhere.

Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family.

Go slow and ask questions.

Criminals may try to recruit you to help launder proceeds derived from online scams and frauds or crimes like human trafficking and drug trafficking. This is called a money mule scheme. Be suspicious if an individual you met on a dating website wants to use your bank account for receiving and forwarding money.

Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to go “offline.”

If you are planning to meet someone in person you have met online, meet in a public place and let someone know where you will be and what time you should return home.

Never send money to anyone you don’t know personally.

If you suspect your online relationship is a scam, cease all contact immediately.

If you are a victim who has already sent money, immediately report the incident to your financial institution, file a complaint with IC3 (www.ic3.gov), and contact law enforcement.

More information is available at:

https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/romance-scams

https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/money-mules

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

The FBI and Zuni Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance in finding the person or persons responsible for the death of Jolynn Marie Calavaza.

Calavaza’s body was found in a vacant lot on Zuni Pueblo on May 4, 2020.

An autopsy determined Calavaza, of Zuni Pueblo, had died of multiple stab wounds.

Calavaza was 46 years old. She had black hair, hazel eyes, weighed approximately 169 pounds, and was 5’4” tall.

Anyone with information about this death is asked to contact the FBI at (505-889-1300) or tips.fbi.gov.

Link to the FBI poster with photo: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/jolynn-marie-calavaza.

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

James C. Langenberg, who has been the special agent in charge of the Albuquerque FBI Division since August 2018, is retiring from the FBI after a career of more than 25 years.

“It has been an honor and a privilege serving as the special agent in charge of the Albuquerque Division,” Mr. Langenberg said. “Throughout my career, I have focused on the people, the partnerships, and the mission. The entire FBI team enabled me to succeed in New Mexico, and I will be forever grateful for their enduring support.”

Mr. Langenberg’s retirement takes effect on Saturday, February 13, 2021. A permanent replacement will be named at a future date.

During the past two years, Mr. Langenberg said, he has focused on mitigating national security threats, such as preventing terrorist attacks, securing America’s national secrets through a robust counterintelligence program, and addressing domestic and foreign cyber threats.

Mr. Langenberg said during his tenure, the FBI also has helped reduce crime through its Violent Crime and Gang task forces and the Division’s new Guardian squad, which tracks information about possible threats and shares intelligence with local, state, tribal, and federal agencies.

The FBI aggressively investigated reports of civil rights violations, health care fraud, and public corruption, he said.

“On behalf of the Office of the U.S. Attorney, I extend our congratulations to an exemplary partner in our mission to defend justice and reduce violent crime in the District of New Mexico,” said acting U.S. Attorney Fred Federici of the District of New Mexico. “Jim Langenberg led the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with dignity, integrity, experience and, most importantly, a resolve to make our state a safer place to live and work. He has been steadfast in his commitment to ensuring the success of the Department’s operations and objectives. His presence will be sorely missed, but we wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life.”

U.S. Marshal Sonya K. Chavez said: “SAC Langenberg has not only been a strong partner for us at the United States Marshals Service, he has shown our wonderful state and its citizens that he is truly committed to doing all he can to make our communities stronger. His commitment to public service and to the people of New Mexico will leave a long-lasting impression here that will be remembered and appreciated long after he has retired.”

“I can say with zero reluctance that the contributions of SAC Langenberg, and all the excellent FBI agents he commanded, toward a safer New Mexico will be greatly missed,” interim Secretary Tim Johnson of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety said. “I am sincerely grateful for the partnerships formed between the Department of Public Safety and the FBI during SAC Langenberg’s watch. As a colleague, as a citizen of this state, and as a citizen of this country, I wish to thank him for his many years of public service.”

Before being appointed the head of FBI operations in New Mexico, Mr. Langenberg served as the chief of the External Audits and Compliance Section in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters (FBIHQ).

Mr. Langenberg entered on duty with the FBI in 1996, and was first assigned to the Albuquerque Field Office, where he investigated white collar crime, counterintelligence, and violent crime and major offender matters. He was a member of the Albuquerque SWAT team, a certified sniper, and served as the associate division counsel.

In 2001, Mr. Langenberg was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Office of Public and Congressional Affairs, FBIHQ, where he served as the FBI’s liaison to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Senate Judiciary Committee. In 2002, Mr. Langenberg transferred to the Counterintelligence Division, FBIHQ, and became a charter member of the new Counterespionage Section.

In 2003, Mr. Langenberg transferred to the Omaha Field Office as a supervisory special agent for the counterintelligence program. In 2008, Mr. Langenberg was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Omaha Field Office, where he was responsible for the office’s National Security Branch.

Mr. Langenberg received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Nebraska, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Nebraska – College of Law.