OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – The FBI launched 'Take a Beat" campaign in hopes of raising awareness and warning neighbors of common frauds and scams
- FBI Omaha Division held a press conference Saturday about its new 'Take a Beat' campaign
- The campaign is to raise awareness and warn neighbors of common scams
- Scammer often use a false sense of emergency to make victims take immediate actions
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
As scammers find new tactics, the FBI is looking for ways to prevent neighbors from falling victim to them.
The FBI launched a new campaign to raise awareness for frauds and scams as they continue to rise.
The Omaha Office of the FBI is sending a warning to neighbors that scammers are out there.
The FBI launched the "take a beat" campaign encouraging people to pause before acting.
"Anyone can be a victim to one of these frauds,” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. “It's very important that you talk to your parents your children, other loved ones about the types of frauds that are out there, and they should take a beat and pause if they receive an offer or solicitation like this."
Kowel said scammers try to win trust, empathy, or even promise money or jobs and to watch out for soliciting emails, phone call or letters, even door to door service offers.
Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson confirms an uptick in these scams. Some common ones in the county are calls from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office or a call claiming you have missed jury duty and owe money.
Hanson said scammers will often ask for funds through ATMs that convert cash into crypto currency.
"Many of our business partners in our communities have these crypto currency kiosks in their store fronts and they don't realize how many people are being victimized and using losing their retirement savings as a result," Hanson said.
Cops are working together to make sure the next time a scammer calls, the person on the phone is too smart to become a victim.
