Law Enforcement Warns Against Fraud

Over the last couple of years law enforcement has seen a drastic increase in financial fraud cases being reported and investigated.

Jasper County has been no exception. During 2024 approximately 40 percent of the investigative requests for the local community were for financial fraud cases.

In attempt to help protect the citizens of Jasper County the Sheriff’s Office is publishing information regularly to help safeguard our citizens against this rapidly growing crime trend.

If you are contacted by anyone wanting money, here are the “red flags” of fraud that all citizens need to be vigilant in watching for:

•Pressure to act immediately

•Use of scare tactics – telling you a loved one is in danger of threats of arrest, hacking your computer, etc.

•Anyone that asks you to pay by gift cards

•Receiving a check of overpayment and being asked to wire a portion of the funds back

•Being asked to provide social security numbers, pins, passwords or other identifying information over the phone

Things to do to safeguard against fraudsters:

•Call the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office if you have any questions – before you send any funds or provide any information

•Change all of your passwords at least annually. (The more often you do this the better)