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

The FBI has seen a recent increase in phone calls that spoof the Bureau’s phone number as part of various scams, but most recently in trying to obtain personal banking information from unsuspecting citizens in the Midland/Odessa area. The callers will often “spoof,” or fake, the FBI Midland’s phone number, 432-570-0255, so the call appears to be coming from the FBI on the recipient’s caller ID. In this scam, fraudulent callers pose as an FBI agent and try to obtain personal information, banking information, or social security numbers. The scammer provides a fake name and badge number to trick the victim into believing they are an FBI agent. The scammer is harassing individuals to provide additional personal information.

These calls are fraudulent—any legitimate law enforcement officer will not demand cash or gift cards from a member of the public. The FBI defines this type of scam as government impersonation fraud, in which criminals impersonate government officials in an attempt to collect money. The criminals often threaten to extort victims with physical or financial harm to obtain personally identifiable information. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated and organized in their approach, are technologically savvy, and often target young persons and the elderly.

To protect yourself from falling victim to this scam, be wary of answering phone calls from numbers you do not recognize. Do not send money or gift cards to anybody that you do not personally know and trust. Never give out your personal information, including banking information, Social Security number, or other personally identifiable information, over the phone or to individuals you do not know.

According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), 13,873 people reported being victims of government impersonation scams in 2019, with losses totaling more than $124 million.

Anyone who feels they were the victim of this or any other online scam should report the incident immediately using the IC3 website at www.ic3.gov. More information about government impersonation schemes and other online fraud schemes can be found at https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes.

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

Special Agent in Charge Doug Korneski of the FBI Memphis Field Office today released the results of forensic tests of human remains recovered from the blast site on 2nd Avenue. DNA examinations of tissue samples by both the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, were consistent to those of Anthony Quinn Warner, 63, of Antioch, Tennessee.

A key break in the investigation occurred when the Tennessee Highway Patrol was able to locate and recover the VIN (vehicle identification number) from the suspect’s van. That information, along with crucial tips from the public, led to the home of the suspect in Antioch.

FBI and ATF agents are continuing to recover and analyze evidence. The motive for the incident is still unclear. Leads are still being followed, but at this time, there is no indication that any other individuals are involved.

ATF’s unique resources from the National Center for Explosives Training and Research (NCETR) and the United States Bomb Data were instrumental in providing links to this investigation. Leveraging technology with traditional law enforcement techniques clearly was beneficial in this case.

The ATF’s National Response Team along with the FBI’s Evidence Response Team continue to work seamlessly in the processing of this crime scene. Additionally, the TBI, the Metro Nashville Police Department, and our federal, state, and local partners will continue to work to ensure the safety of Nashvillians.

If you have any images, videos, or other information you may have related to the explosion in downtown Nashville, please visit fbi.gov/nashville. If you do not have an attachment but have information to provide, please submit it at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Contacts:

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

On December 25, 2020, at approximately 5:30 a.m. Central Time, a large explosion occurred on 2nd Ave N near a downtown Nashville, Tennessee business. The explosion has been linked to a recreational vehicle (RV).

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Metro Nashville Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are currently looking for information concerning the operator or owner of this RV, which arrived in the area at approximately 1:22 a.m. Central Time. In particular, individuals are being sought who were in the area of downtown Nashville around 1:00 a.m. Central Time.

If you have any images, videos, or other information you may have related to the explosion in downtown Nashville, please visit fbi.gov/nashville. If you do not have an attachment but have information to provide, please submit it at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

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

MEMPHIS, TN—With more people than ever doing their holiday shopping online, FBI Memphis wants to remind shoppers to look out for scams designed to steal your money and personal information. Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is!

“According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), in 2019, Tennesseans lost over $33,052,233 due to a variety of scams,” said Douglas Korneski, special agent in charge of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “Enjoy a scam-free holiday season by remaining vigilant and if you believe you have been the victim of a scam, report it to the FBI at IC3.gov.”

Common Scams

Online Shopping Scams:

• Scammers often offer too-good-to-be-true 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.
• Consumers should steer clear of untrustworthy sites or ads offering items at unrealistic discounts or with special coupons. The victims end up paying for an item, give away personal information and credit card details, then receive nothing in return except a compromised or stolen identity.

Social Media Shopping Scams:

• Consumers should be aware 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.

Work-From-Home Scams:

• Consumers should be aware of sites and posts offering work they can do from home. These opportunities rely on convenience as a selling point but may have fraudulent intentions. Consumers should carefully research the job posting and individuals or company offering employment.

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 received 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.
• As an example, a victim receives a request to purchase gift cards for a work-related function or as a present for a special occasion. The gift cards are then used to facilitate the purchase of goods and services, which may or may not be legitimate. Some of these incidents are combined with additional requests for wire transfer payments, as described in classic Business Email Compromise (BEC) scenarios.

Charity Scams:

• Fraudulent charity scams, in which perpetrators set up false charities and profit from individuals who believe they are making donations to legitimate charitable organizations, are common after disasters, which the FBI has seen during the COVID pandemic. Charity fraud also rises during the holiday season, when individuals seek to make end-of-year tax deductible gifts or are reminded of those less fortunate and wish to contribute to a good cause. Seasonal charity scams can pose greater difficulties in monitoring because of their widespread reach, limited duration and, when done over the Internet, minimal oversight.
• Charity scam solicitations may come through cold calls, email campaigns, crowdfunding platforms, or fake social media accounts and websites. They are designed to make it easy for victims to give money and feel like they’re making a difference. Perpetrators may divert some or all the funds for their personal use, and those most in need will never see the donations.

Reshipping Scams:

• These scams involve fraudsters who use stolen credit cards to buy items—usually expensive items—online. Instead of having the items shipped to the billing address, the fraudster sends them to what’s called a “reshipper.” At the “reshipper” location, the items are repackaged and usually sent overseas. There, they can often be sold at a high price on the black market.
• Fraudsters will convince unwitting individuals to be money mules and accept the deliveries and become the “reshipper.” That person has now become part of their criminal enterprise without knowing it. Don’t be a money mule!

Tips to Avoid Being Victimized

• Do your homework on the retailer/website/person to ensure legitimacy.
• Conduct a business inquiry of the online retailer on the Better Business Bureau’s website (www.bbb.org).
• Check other websites regarding the company for reviews and complaints.
• Check the contact details of the website on the “Contact Us” page, specifically the address, email, and phone number, to confirm whether the retailer is legitimate.
• Be wary of online retailers offering goods at significantly discounted prices.
• Be wary of online retailers who use a free email service instead of a company email address.
• Don’t judge a company by their website; flashy websites can be set up and taken down quickly.
• Be aware of purchases or services that require payment with a gift card.
• Be aware of providing credit card information when requested through unsolicited emails.
• Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited email or respond to them.
• Check credit card statements routinely. If possible, set up credit card transaction auto alerts, or check 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.
• Avoid filling out forms contained in email messages that ask for personal information.
• Be cautious of emails claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. 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.
• Secure credit card accounts, even rewards accounts, with strong passwords. Change passwords and check accounts routinely.
• Make charitable contributions directly, rather than through an intermediary, and pay via credit card or check; avoid cash donations, if possible.
• Be aware of organizations with copycat names similar to reputable charities; most legitimate charity websites use .org (NOT .com).
• Don’t be a money mule; it’s illegal!

What to do if you are a victim:

If you are a victim of an online scam, the FBI recommends taking the following actions:

• Report the activity to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov, regardless of dollar loss. Provide all relevant information in the complaint.
• Contact your financial institution immediately upon discovering any fraudulent or suspicious activity and direct them to stop or reverse the transactions.
• Ask your financial institution to contact the corresponding financial institution where the fraudulent or suspicious transfer was sent.

For additional information and consumer alerts, and to report scams to the FBI, visit www.IC3.gov.

Resources

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

The FBI Memphis Field Office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Secret Service—Nashville Field Office are warning potential victims of a rise in money mule schemes.

Acting as a money mule—allowing others to use your bank account, or conducting financial transactions on behalf of others jeopardizes your financial security and compromises your personally identifiable information. Protect yourself by refusing to send or receive money on behalf of individuals and businesses for which you are not personally and professionally responsible.

Signs You May Be Acting as a Money Mule

• You receive an unsolicited email or contact over social media promising easy money for little to no effort.
• The “employer” you communicate with uses web-based email (such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, or Outlook).
• You are asked to open up a bank account in your own name or in the name of a company you form to receive and transfer money.
• As an employee, you are asked to receive funds in your bank account and then “process funds” or “transfer funds” via a wire transfer, ACH, mail, or money service business (such as Western Union or MoneyGram).
• You are allowed to keep a portion of the money you transfer.
• Your duties have no specific job description.
• Your online companion, whom you have never met in person, asks you to conduct financial transactions that they should reasonably be able to do for themselves, and offers to share the proceeds of that transaction with you.
• Your online companion is adamant that you keep the relationship and the associated financial transactions secret.

How to Protect Yourself

• Do not accept any job offers that ask you to use your own bank account to transfer their money. A legitimate company will not ask you to do this.
• Be wary when an employer asks you to form a company to open up a new bank account.
• Never give your financial details to someone you don’t know and trust, especially if you met them online.
• Be wary when job advertisements are poorly written with grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.
• Be suspicious when the individual you met on a dating website wants to use your bank account for receiving and forwarding money.
• Perform online searches to check the information from any solicitation emails and contacts.
• Ask the employer, “Can you send a copy of the license/permit to conduct business in my county or state?”
• Utilize the privacy settings on your social media, and be selective about the information you make public.
• If you are unsure whether or not you are being used as a money mule and you are uncomfortable talking to law enforcement, consult with your local bank branch.

How to Respond

• If you have received solicitations of this type, do not respond to them and do not click on any links they contain. Inform your local police, FBI, TBI, or the U.S. Secret Service.
• If you believe that you are participating in a money mule scheme, stop transferring money immediately and notify your bank, the service you used to conduct the transaction, and law enforcement.

If you believe you, or someone you know, has been solicited to be a money mule, please contact the FBI Memphis Field Office at 901-747-4300, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at TipsToTBI@tn.gov, or the U.S. Secret Service—Nashville Field Office at 615-736-5841. To report suspicious activity, please visit the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

Learn more about money mules and help raise awareness by sharing the facts through #DontBeAMule.