Scam Alert Archives

BBB warns of standardized test prep scams

March 18, 2021 1:50 PM Zola Crowder

The Better Business Bureau is warning parents to watch out for ACT and SAT test prep scams.

New FBI reports shows Missourians lost over $100 million last year from internet crimes

March 17, 2021 9:54 PM Karl Wehmhoener

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The FBI released a new report on the ‘Internet Crime Complaint Center 2020 Internet Crime Report,’ the report also shows statistics for regarding COVID-19 scam complaints. The FBI took information from 791,790 complaints of suspected internet crime—an increase of more than 300,000 complaints from 2019—and reported losses exceeding $4.2 billion. The report

Spring weather could bring home improvement scams to Mid-Missouri

March 11, 2021 1:56 PM Zola Crowder

With spring just around the corner the Better Business Bureau is suggesting homeowners watch out for scams as people begin to make repairs after winter weather.

Scammers using U.S. Attorney’s Office in Jefferson City for scam

March 4, 2021 8:27 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) U.S. Attorney’s Office in Jefferson City is warning residents that scammers are using the office’s title in an attempt to scam residents. Officials say the scammer claims to be with Cyber Crimes and said they (the receiver of the call) had a phone that was identified as a phone used in

DEFENDERS: Adults 18-24 more likely to get scammed, BBB says

March 1, 2021 3:09 PM Deborah Kendrick

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Adults ages 18-24 are becoming the next target for scams. The Better Business Bureau recently released a report that focused on the impact of scams in the wake of the pandemic and the demographic groups most at risk. According to the BBB, adults ages 18-24 reported the highest median losses ($150) and

Shelter Insurance reports fake check scam

February 3, 2021 5:59 PM ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An insurance company headquartered in Columbia is warning of fake checks. Shelter Insurance says it has received several reports about this scam. Here’s a break down of what happens. Scammers are targeting people applying for jobs, not Shelter Insurance customers. A fraudulent check is sent to the victim to buy office supplies.

DEFENDERS: BBB advises not to share coronavirus vaccine card on social media

February 1, 2021 6:13 PM Deborah Kendrick

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Better Business Bureau is advising people to not share their coronavirus vaccination card on social media. The BBB said it can increase your risk of identity theft and other scams. When posting the photo on social media scammers are able to see your full name, birthday and where you got your

Tax season could expose unemployment fraud cases

January 28, 2021 2:11 PM Zola Crowder

This tax season experts are warning the public about signs that they’ve been victims of identity or tax fraud with a pandemic-related twist.

DEFENDERS: IRS warns about stimulus check scam

January 18, 2021 4:45 PM Deborah Kendrick

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Internal Revenue Service is warning about a new wave of COVID-19 related scams regarding stimulus checks. The IRS says scammers are contacting people trying to get them to verify personal or financial information before issuing an economic impact payment. The IRS says it will not contact you to request any personal

DEFENDERS: Scams circulating as second stimulus check are issued

January 4, 2021 3:24 PM Deborah Kendrick

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A second round of stimulus checks are getting sent to most Americans, and scammers are trying to monetize. The Better Business Bureau is getting reports of con artists who tell people they need to either pay for their stimulus checks or provide personal information to receive it. In some of the online

DEFENDERS: Puppy scams see sharp rise in 2020

December 7, 2020 3:35 PM Deborah Kendrick

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) More and more people are buying puppies at an all-time high. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased the demand for pets as people look for support during a time of loneliness. With this rising demand, pet scams have also increased significantly. In November of 2020, the Better Business Bureau reports 337 complaints

Mexico Public Safety Department warns about social security scams

December 3, 2020 10:22 PM Karl Wehmhoener

MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ) Mexico Public Safety Department is warning residents of a phone scam over the past several weeks. Residents are reporting that an automated message is claiming that the person’s social security number has been hacked and shut down. The automated message then tells the person to push a button to speak with someone.

DEFENDERS: Spotting fake websites while shopping online this holiday

November 30, 2020 5:39 PM Deborah Kendrick

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) More people are expected to do their holiday shopping online because of the coronavirus pandemic, which means there’s an increased risk of falling for online scams. A common way scammers target people is they’ll use fake websites. According to comparitech, a tech consumer website, about 30 million new websites were registered so

DEFENDERS: Utility scams increase during the holiday season

November 23, 2020 3:54 PM Deborah Kendrick

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Holiday’s can be a stressful time and scammers are taking advantage of it. During this time of year, Ameren is reminding customers to be on the look out for utility scams. Ameren told ABC 17 News during the holidays and extreme weather, utility scams tend to be on the rise. Here are

DEFENDERS: Scammers creating fake holiday events online

November 16, 2020 4:48 PM Deborah Kendrick

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) With Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner, scammers are looking for ways to trick you this holiday season. With the pandemic, many in-person events will likely be moving online and scammers are catching on to this trend. According to the Better Business Bureau scammers are creating phony copycat events that charge for

60 charged in $300M phone scam targeting elderly victims

October 28, 2020 3:12 PM Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sixty people are charged in a widespread magazine telemarketing scam that authorities say netted $300 million from more than 150,000 elderly and vulnerable people nationwide. Minnesota U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald announced the charges Wednesday. She called it the largest elder fraud scheme in the country. The defendants are from 14 states and

DEFENDERS: Scam targets nurses and acupuncturists

October 26, 2020 3:16 PM Deborah Kendrick

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri licensed nurses and acupuncturists are the newest target in a scam going around the state. The Missouri State Board of Nursing and Missouri Acupuncturist Advisory Committee are both warning about a scam claiming the person is being investigated and their licenses is in danger of being suspended. In this scam, the

DEFENDERS: Scammers using FBI phone number to trick victims

September 28, 2020 5:00 PM Deborah Kendrick

The FBI says scammers are using the FBI’s real telephone number to trick victims.

DEFENDERS: Package text message scams circulating

September 14, 2020 2:45 PM Deborah Kendrick

With so many people shopping online, package deliveries are on the rise and scammers are trying to fool consumers into giving out their personal information.

DEFENDERS: Fake messages offering money, grants during COVID-19 pandemic

September 7, 2020 4:20 PM Deborah Kendrick

The Federal Trade Commission is warning Facebook and WhatsApp users of a possible scam going around during the COVID-19 pandemic.