(Exira) Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Consumer Protection Investigator Al Perales appeared at the Exira Event Center on Thursday afternoon for a public presentation on fraud and scams targeting Iowans.
The program covered common fraud schemes, ways consumers can protect themselves and their personal information, and steps to take if they believe they have been the victim of a scam. Bird says the scams they are seeing right now run the gamut from older Iowans to younger generations. She says young people have been ripped off with fake job offers, targeting widows and widowers, fake lottery scams, winning the Publishers Clearing House, imposter scams, and fake romance scammers.
Bird’s office has also warned about scams in which criminals pose as family members, law enforcement officers, or other trusted individuals and create a sense of urgency to convince victims to send money. Bird says a new scam circulating in rural Iowa centers on fake equipment sales.
Bird says the number one thing to do to avoid being ripped off is to change the way we think about ourselves as Iowans. Bird says Iowans are good neighbors and good people, and scammers use that against us. She says they share tips during these trainings using the acronym S.T.O.P.
The Attorney General’s Office encourages Iowans who suspect they have been targeted by fraud to report it rather than ignoring it. The office provides consumer complaint assistance and resources for people who believe they have been victimized.
If you believe you have been scammed, you can call Brenna Bird’s office at 888-777-4590.
