Hi, Neighbors. I am delighted to announce a new program that we recently put together in Aleppo Township by our Public Safety Committee.
Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Corporal Chris Simcoviak and Triastan Liller of the Aleppo Township Police Department and discuss the most common fraud schemes that we see in Aleppo Township. Corporal Simcoviak is a crime prevention officer and had great insight about steps that we can take to avoid being victims.
These scams often take advantage of our older neighbors. Therefore, while much of what was discussed may seem like common sense, I urge those of you who are common targets or care for elderly parents to review this presentation. Please also feel free to share this message with your friends, neighbors, and family.
Shockingly, Corporal Simcoviak told us that in a single month, our police department may take 10-15 reports of these scams. I highlight that fact in yellow because I think it is so important that we know these crimes are happening in our community and to be aware of them.
You won’t believe some of these schemes that fraudsters are brazen enough to pull.
The entire presentation is under 45 minutes long, so I encourage you to watch it all. If you want to watch the program from the very beginning, click here.
However, if you want to jump to just one portion of the presentation, please feel free to use the links in the bullet points below to jump to that portion of the video.
Here’s what we discussed:
- I introduced Corporal Simcoviak and explained his qualifications to teach us about fraud prevention. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- Corporal Simcoviak explained the concept of “The New Predators”. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- We talked about the “Tech Support Con”, which Corporal Simcoviak says is the biggest consumer scam in the U.S. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- Corporal Simcoviak told us about “The Silent Call” and why we should avoid it. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- We talked about the IRS Imposter, which Corporal Simcoviak said is the #1 reported fraud in Aleppo Township. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- Corporal Simcoviak told us about “The Cancer Rip-Off”, which is a scheme you will not be able to believe. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- We talked about fraud associated with the new ATM Chip Cards. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- Corporal Simcoviak explained schemes that may be associated with Faith Based Dating. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- We heard about a common con concerning “Medical Identity Theft”. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- Corporal Simcoviak told us about “The Grieving Widow” scheme, a scam that affects those that have recently lost a loved one. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- We talked about fraud involving gift vouchers. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- Corporal Simcoviak explained the common ways that scammers find their victims. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- We discussed the first phone call to make if you suspect fraud. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- We heard about the con artist network commonly known as “The Sucker List”. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- We talked about the risk of volunteering information, a fraud that may become popular in the upcoming political season. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- Corporal Simcoviak told us about a scheme involving suggestions of a “Family Member in Distress”. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
- We talked briefly about identity theft. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.)
Corporal Simcoviak encouraged anybody concerned about any of these issues to contact the Ohio Township Police Department at (412) 259-8304. Please fight the temptation to be embarrassed that you might have fallen for a scam or concerned that a local police department won’t be able to solve the crime–call and let them help.
Finally, I discussed ways you can encourage more programs like this. (Click here to jump to this portion of the video.) If you found value in this presentation, please let us know.
Many thanks to Corporal Simcoviak and Tristan for sharing their time and knowledge with us. Thanks, also, to the Ohio Township Police Department for making these folks available to us.
As always, please let me know if there is anything we can do to make your life in Aleppo better.
Best wishes,
Matthew Doebler
Aleppo Township Commissioner