Full Notification

 
Over the past several weeks, the South Brunswick Police Department has received a rise in reporting on Cryptocurrency scams, which have resulted in victims suffering a combined loss of over $250,000. The suspects in these cases employed various scams including impersonating technology companies, hacking and mimicking corporate emails, soliciting investments into fraudulent companies, and impersonating law enforcement agents. Ultimately, each cryptocurrency scam aims to get an unsuspecting victim to convert their money into cryptocurrency and send it to the suspect.
 
Residents of South Brunswick are encouraged to remain vigilant in recognizing these increasingly common scams. Residents should, at a minimum:
 

• Be sure that the websites you visit are the official websites of the company you intend to do business with.
• Confirm any requests regarding payment changes by contacting the requester’s trusted telephone number or in person.
• Understand that law enforcement agencies will NEVER ask for money over the phone to settle outstanding warrants or vacate charges against a person.
• If you wish to make a transaction using cryptocurrencies you must confirm that the intended recipient is aware and trusted as these transactions are irreversible.
• Treat all requests to pay via cryptocurrency with the highest level of scrutiny.

 
Detective Sergeant Timothy Hoover said, “No legitimate company or agency ever requests payment in the form of Bitcoin, gift cards, or any cryptocurrency over the phone. The frauds have targeted victims of all ages so everyone needs to stay alert.” Any individuals who believe they have fallen victim to a similar scam involving cryptocurrency are encouraged to report it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complain Center (IC3): https://www.ic3.gov/
 
For more information regarding cryptocurrency and common scams, visit the following websites:
 
The Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Advice on Cryptocurrency and Scams: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-cryptocurrency-and-scams
 
 

Instructions:

Understand that law enforcement agencies will NEVER ask for money over the phone to settle outstanding warrants or vacate charges against a person.