Tag Archives: Scam

Police: Suspect test drives sports bikes and doesn’t return

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NEOSHO, Mo. – Neosho police are looking for a suspect who allegedly test drives sports bikes and never returns.

Authorities allege 21-year-old Dregon W. Charlton of stealing numerous sports bikes in recent weeks. The Neosho Police Department says he meets with a seller of the bike and asks to test drive it. He takes the bike and never returns.

If you have information about Charlton, police ask that you call Detective Cook at the Neosho Police Department at 417-451-8012. The Police Department states all information will be kept confidential.

>> Read more crime-related articles here

>> CAPTURED: 2nd Barry County escapee caught in Springfield, Missouri

>> More arrests expected in Independence hit and run investigation

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BBB: Scammers posing as DMV in Missouri

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ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The Better Business Bureau is warning Missouri residents of new scams where scammers claim to be with the DMV.

A woman from St. Charles, Missouri, reported to BBB she received several text messages in April 2021 from someone claiming to be with the DMV. Each of the text messages stated she was eligible for a refund.

“All licensed drivers, in your state are receiving the $1850 refund/payment,” read one grammatically challenged text.

“D.M.V. Office. Current license holders, are receiving their $2895 refund. Get your check,” read another text.

“DMV Office – All license holders in your state, are receiving a $2955 refund. Get your check,” read the final text.

In each instance, the text had a link where the woman was supposed to go to sign up for her refund. The woman reached out to her local DMV which told her that the offers were not real.

“Scammers are always changing up their schemes,” said Michelle L. Corey, BBB St. Louis president and CEO. “If you receive correspondence from someone claiming to be with a government agency, investigate it thoroughly before you act on it.”

The BBB gives the following tips to avoid falling victim in a government imposter scam:

  • Stay calm. Resist the urge to act immediately. Scammers will try to get people to act before thinking about the situation. Take a moment to collect yourself and analyze what is being asked of you.
  • Don’t reply directly. Don’t respond to unknown calls, text or emails. If you think the message might be real, find the government agencies’ contact information from a trusted source and contact them directly.
  •  Check for look-alikes. Do a little research to see if the government agency or organization that contacted you actually exists. While scammers will use well-known entities like the IRS and Social Security to try to dupe people, they also will make up agency names as well.
  • Report it. If you have been victimized or targeted in a government imposter scam, report it to BBB Scam Tracker, FTC and FBI.

Kansas hit hard by identity theft during COVID-19 pandemic

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Identity theft rose sharply last year during the COVID-19 pandemic, and no place was hit harder than Kansas.

The Wichita Eagle reports that 43,211 Kansans alerted the Federal Trade Commission in 2020 that someone had stolen or tried to steal their identity. That was 2,272 more cases than in 2019.

Kansas’ 1,802% year-over-year increase was the highest among the states and more than three times the national average. Rhode Island was next, with an increase of 1,002%.

Of all the 2020 identity theft reports in Kansas, 88% were classified as government documents or benefits fraud. The Kansas Department of Labor has cited a barrage of fraudulent unemployment claims since the coronavirus pandemic began.

BBB warns of romance scam

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SOUTHWEST MISSOURI — The Better Business Bureau is warning of a new money laundering romance scam.

They say victims meet scammers online through dating websites. The scammer will ask the victim to receive money for them that is wired overseas. The BBB says scammers may say the money is for a loved one battling covid-19 or a charity — but that’s a lie.

Stephanie Garland, Regional Director of Springfield BBB, said, “it turns out the money they want you to get is actually stolen CARES Act funds and after stealing it scammers send the money to someone through the United States to make it harder for authorities to trace. Its called a money mule and the victim may still face prosecution.”

Garland says to never send personal information to someone you’ve never met and to beware of certain dating websites.