Leesburg, VA
Business
$1.4M In Crypto Seized During Historic Loudoun County Bust, Sheriff Says $1.4M In Crypto Seized During Historic Loudoun County Bust, Sheriff Says
$1.4M In Crypto Seized During Historic Loudoun County Bust, Sheriff Says A single text message, sent to the wrong person, led to one of the largest cryptocurrency recoveries in Virginia history. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) announced Monday, Feb. 24, that it seized $1.4 million in stolen cryptocurrency—recovered from a sophisticated “pig butchering” scam.  Officials believe the bust is among the first and largest of its kind in the state. “This seizure sends a clear signal to bad actors: Loudoun County is coming for you,” Sheriff Mike Chapman said. “We will not allow our citizens to be taken advantage of and will do everything possible to get…

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by Zak Failla
Albany, NY
Business
Scammers Impersonating IRS With These Texts: Here's What To Know Scammers Impersonating IRS With These Texts: Here's What To Know
Scammers Impersonating IRS With These Texts: Here's What To Know A new scam is making the rounds, with fraudsters posing as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents and sending text messages promising a substantial rebate.  The trap is a phishing attempt designed to steal your personal and financial information. What’s Happening? The fraudulent messages claim recipients are eligible for a $1,400 stimulus check, directing them to click on a fake link to “claim” their payment.  How The Scam Works You receive a text message appearing to be from the IRS, stating that you’re owed an Economic Impact Payment and must provide personal information …

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by Joe Lombardi
Westbury, NY
Police & Fire
Elderly Man Robbed In Parking Lot Scam Outside North Bellmore Grocery: Police Elderly Man Robbed In Parking Lot Scam Outside North Bellmore Grocery: Police
Elderly Man Robbed In Parking Lot Scam Outside North Bellmore Grocery: Police A 78-year-old man was scammed and robbed outside a North Bellmore grocery store, Nassau County police announced. The robbery happened at North Shore Farms on Jerusalem Avenue around 5:50 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, according to detectives. Police say the victim was backing his 2001 Toyota Camry out of a parking spot when two men approached. One of them punched the car and falsely accused the victim of hitting him. The pair then yelled, threatened, and demanded money, making the elderly man fear for his safety, detectives said. The victim handed over $600 in cash before the suspects fled…

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by Jillian Pikora
Marlton-Evesham, NJ
Police & Fire
Cops Intercept 'FBI Agent' En Route To Collect $40K In Evesham, Authorities Say Cops Intercept 'FBI Agent' En Route To Collect $40K In Evesham, Authorities Say
Cops Intercept 'FBI Agent' En Route To Collect $40K In Evesham, Authorities Say A 28-year old Cherry Hill resident was arrested and charged on Thursday, Feb. 13 with trying to scam a person in Evesham out of $40,000 by posing as an FBI agent, authorities said. Officers began investigating after a person told law enforcement they received a phone call from an individual claiming to be a member of the F.B.I, Evesham police said. Brij Shukla informed the person that they owed the government $40,000 and instructed them to withdraw the money, stating that a "courier" would visit their residence to retrieve the cash, police said. Detectives began investigating the crime…

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by Sam Barron
Rye, NY
Police & Fire
Scammers Posing As Rye Police, Threatening Deportation Unless Cash Is Given Scammers Posing As Rye Police, Threatening Deportation Unless Cash Is Given
Scammers Posing As Rye Police, Threatening Deportation Unless Cash Is Given A police department in Westchester is alerting residents about a scam involving a caller impersonating law enforcement and threatening arrest or deportation unless they receive a payment. The City of Rye Police Department issued a warning to residents regarding the scam on Wednesday, Feb. 12, saying that the callers will try intimidating victims into paying up.  According to the department, the scammer claims to be serving legal notice and demands immediate payment, often threatening arrest, fines, or deportation if the victim does not comply.  "The goal is to scare you into…

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by Ben Crnic
New City, NY
News
IRS Scam Offers $1.4K To Victims In Rockland, DA Warns IRS Scam Offers $1.4K To Victims In Rockland, DA Warns
IRS Scam Offers $1.4K To Victims In Rockland, DA Warns Scammers posing as the IRS are targeting Rockland County residents with fake text messages promising $1,400 economic impact payments, officials warned. In a public alert on Monday, Feb. 10, Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh's Office said residents have been contacted by scammers claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service. The scam involves text messages claiming recipients are “eligible for a $1,400 economic impact statement.” The messages come from a Hotmail address, not a secure government email, and contain links to nonexistent websites. Walsh emphasized that the IR…

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by Ben Crnic
Poughkeepsie, NY
Police & Fire
Scammers Claim Relatives Are in Trouble Over Phone Calls In Dutchess, Police Say Scammers Claim Relatives Are in Trouble Over Phone Calls In Dutchess, Police Say
Scammers Claim Relatives Are in Trouble Over Phone Calls In Dutchess, Police Say Authorities in Dutchess County are urging residents to stay vigilant as scammers increasingly target unsuspecting victims and claim their loved ones are in trouble.  The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office issued a public warning on Wednesday, Feb. 5 about an increasing number of phone scams, many of which prey on emotions by falsely claiming a loved one has been hurt or arrested. Scammers often impersonate law enforcement officials or relatives, pressuring victims into sending money immediately.  One of the latest scams reported involves fraudsters calling victims and claiming that …

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by Ben Crnic
Schnecksville-Orefield-Neffs, PA
Police & Fire
Schnecksville Senior Loses $250K In Mega Millions Lottery Scam Schnecksville Senior Loses $250K In Mega Millions Lottery Scam
Schnecksville Senior Loses $250K In Mega Millions Lottery Scam An 84-year-old Schnecksville man was swindled out of $250,000 by scammers posing as Mega Millions representatives, Pennsylvania State Police announced on  Over the course of a year, from December 2023 to December 2024, the victim believed they were interacting with legitimate lottery officials, investigators said. The fraudsters convinced the senior to transfer large sums of money under false pretenses. No suspects have been identified in the ongoing investigation, PSP Bethlehem Patrol Unit said. Authorities urge anyone with information to contact them.

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by Jillian Pikora
York, PA
Police & Fire
York Resident Duped Out Of $60K In Fraudulent Website Scheme By Texas Woman: Police York Resident Duped Out Of $60K In Fraudulent Website Scheme By Texas Woman: Police
York Resident Duped Out Of $60K In Fraudulent Website Scheme By Texas Woman: Police A York resident was scammed out of over $60,000 through a fake business website, and Ayme Galvan, a Texas woman, has been charged in connection with the fraud, York City police announced on Monday, Jan. 27. Ayme Galvan is accused of orchestrating the scheme, which detectives say involved transferring $60,264 from the victim’s account to a series of transactions in Texas. Detective Batten led the investigation after receiving the report of fraud on Nov. 5, 2024, police said. The investigation uncovered a multi-state operation involving ATM and Walmart transactions. Using bank records, survei…

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by Jillian Pikora
Gaithersburg, MD
Police & Fire
Gold Bar Scam: Teen Admits Bilking Elderly Silver Spring Woman Out Of Thousands Gold Bar Scam: Teen Admits Bilking Elderly Silver Spring Woman Out Of Thousands
Gold Bar Scam: Teen Admits Bilking Elderly Silver Spring Woman Out Of Thousands A 19-year-old New York resident implicated in a government-imposter-related scam is facing a harsh sentence above expected guidelines after admitting to targeting an elderly Maryland woman who sought to keep Russia away from her money, authorities announced on Tuesday. Brooklyn resident Zhenyong Weng was arrested last year after preying on an 82-year-old Silver Spring woman by reaching out to her and instructing her to transfer her assets into gold bars to keep Russian hands off. The woman complied, police say, and handed off several packages worth an estimated $900,000 in gold ba…

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by Zak Failla
Carmel, NY
Police & Fire
Viral Fake Serial Killer Post Appearing On Putnam Social Media Accounts: Sheriff Viral Fake Serial Killer Post Appearing On Putnam Social Media Accounts: Sheriff
Viral Fake Serial Killer Post Appearing On Putnam Social Media Accounts: Sheriff Authorities in the Hudson Valley are cautioning residents to be vigilant about a fake social media post that has been circulating nationwide and is now appearing on local accounts.  In an announcement on Monday, Jan. 13, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said the fraudulent post warns of a "serial killer on the loose," featuring an image of a supposed suspect and victim names.  However, the Sheriff's Office has confirmed that there is no validity to the post.  According to authorities, scammers often use these posts to manipulate users. Once shared, the original c…

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by Ben Crnic
Arlington, VA
News
2025 Tax Season Begins: What You Need To Know About Expanded Options, New Tools 2025 Tax Season Begins: What You Need To Know About Expanded Options, New Tools
2025 Tax Season Begins: What You Need To Know About Expanded Options, New Tools Early filers, get ready. The 2025 tax season is here! The IRS will start accepting and processing tax returns on Monday, Jan. 27, the agency said in a news release. IRS Free File also became available on Friday, Jan. 10 to taxpayers who qualify through private-sector partners. With more than 140 million tax returns expected, the IRS urged taxpayers to take advantage of updated online resources and consider using trusted tax preparers to avoid scams. "This has been a historic period of improvement for the IRS, and people will see additional tools and features to help them with filing their …

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by Chris Spiker