Los Alamos police, FBI to host fraud and scam forum

Los Alamos Police Department and the local FBI office will host a fraud and scam forum from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, at Fuller Lodge. The town hall format will let residents ask questions and raise concerns about schemes that can empty bank accounts, steal identities and target older relatives.

The presentation is aimed at ordinary residents, not just law enforcement or financial professionals, and the LAPD will put a special focus on elder fraud. Older adults are repeatedly targeted by fraudsters who use urgency, fear and impersonation to get money or personal information before victims can verify a call or email.

The FBI’s June 2024 data show elder-fraud complaints increased 14% from the year before and reported losses reached $3.4 billion in 2023. In that same reporting period, tech-support scams generated the most complaints in the elder-fraud category, while investment scams were the costliest. Those are the kinds of schemes residents are likely to hear about at Fuller Lodge, along with romance scams, grandparent scams, government impersonation scams, advance-fee schemes, Nigerian letter or 419 schemes, Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes and telemarketing fraud.

An FBI Albuquerque media alert put older New Mexicans’ losses at more than $17 million in online frauds and scams. Families in Los Alamos County who help manage an older parent’s finances, online accounts or medical bills can spot warning signs such as pressure to act fast, requests for gift cards or wire transfers, and callers who claim to be from a bank, utility company or government office.