Ask the Chief

Scams continue

There never seems to be an end to all of the scams that people try to use to steal money. Many are focused on convincing you that you are owed a large sum of money because of a foreign lottery.

Others seek your help regarding money from a foreign prince or government official. Some even threaten you with an arrest based upon a plausible accusation while giving you the option of paying a fine to avoid going to jail.

Most recently, I have seen scams attempting to blackmail someone based upon nude photos, photoshopped videos, porn usage or threats that your web camera has been hacked.

Greed and fear are the primary weapons used by scams and blackmailers.

These scams are very profitable and are emailed to tens of thousands of people with the hope that some will pay. Imagine if you could get zero point one percent of the people to fall victim.

That could result in thousands of dollars each day. Everyone's contact information is for sale through many legal and illegal sources.

That’s how telemarketers get your phone number or email and that is how criminal do the same thing.

This form of theft and extortion relies on technology to constantly dial numbers or send out massive email blasts, and that is why it is called phishing.

The best thing you can do is ignore these attempts.

Don't click on any links in emails or messages that are from people you don't know.

Change your passwords every few months or when you suspect they are no longer secure.

Most importantly, don't panic because these scams only work if you start making knee-jerk decisions.

If you have concerns, please contact me and I will gladly help you determine what is real and what is a scam.

Remember, everyone is targeted. I even get people trying to scam or blackmail me via my police department email.

Obviously, a computer is sending out the emails because my work email clearly identifies me as a police department.

Contact Us

The Minneota Mascot
Address: 201 N. Jefferson
Minneota, MN 56264

Phone:(507) 872-6492